Seoul (AsiaNews) - "Confidite, Ego Vici Mundum" is the Latin title of the official theme song for World Youth Day Seoul 2027. It was released today by the Local Organising Committee (LOC), exactly a year before the gathering (3-8 August 2027) opens.
It refers to the theme of the second WYD in Asia, “take courage, I have conquered the world” (Jn 16:33). The first Asian WYD was held in Manila, Philippines, in 1995.
The event will bring hundreds of thousands of young Catholics from around the world to the South Korean capital.
Since Saint John Paul II first thought about holding a world day for youth in the 1980s, this one will be the first ever in a country where Christianity is a minority religion.
The anthem was broadcast live worldwide. Immediately afterward, the pop and classical versions were released on the official WYD Seoul 2027 channel, and have already received widespread online praise.
"Long live WYD!", "Music that allows you to feel God's consolation," "See you in Seoul!" are just some of the comments made by viewers about the YouTube videos.
The song "Confidite, Ego Vici Mundum" was selected from 434 submissions, 294 of which came from countries outside of South Korea. Submissions were made through a competition open to anyone, regardless of nationality or place of residence, until November 2025.
The winner was composed by a young South Korean composer, Francis Jiyoon Kim. Like all previous WYD hymns, it seeks to become an expression of faith for young people and a distinctive symbol.
The start of the 365-day countdown was reached after a process of at least two years. Some 378 volunteers joined the LOC in January 2024.
First, they received basic training inspired by Pope Francis’s apostolic exhortation Christus Vivit, dedicated to young people, and will serve in approximately 30 volunteer teams, managing events, volunteer training, logistics, spirituality, and communication.
At present, they are undergoing training, awaiting other volunteers, both international and otherwise, dedicated to hosting the pilgrims. Registration for these volunteers will open next October, along with that for participants.
One year from the great event, the LOC noted that the transition from the preparatory phase to the implementation phase is underway, in all areas: cooperation, pilgrim services, accommodations, transportation, security, medical assistance, and communications.
In a statement released for the occasion, it calls on young people around the world to take part in the journey, embarking on a "spiritual pilgrimage” to discover the important stages of the journey to Seoul.
Today, along with the presentation of the official theme song, the Breath of Life global tree-planting campaign was launched to encourage young people to plant trees in their own countries and share their efforts online, inspired by Pope Francis’s encyclical letter Laudato Si' on the care of creation.
It follows what was done at WYD Lisbon 2023, Portugal, to engage pilgrims in concrete environmental actions, reduce the carbon footprint of their participation, and create a legacy that extends beyond 2027, based on a local initiative launched in 2025 with the South Korean Forestry Service and the Seoul Metropolitan Government.
The upcoming days in Seoul a year from now will be intense moments of faith, sharing, and a vision for the future.
Before the week-long gathering in Seoul (3-8 August 2027), participants will experience the Days in the Dioceses, from 29 July to 2 August, welcomed in South Korea’s 15 dioceses, where they will stay with local communities and experience firsthand the faith and culture of the Korean Church.
Recently, Auxiliary Bishop Paul Kyung Sang Lee of Seoul, General Coordinator of WYD 2027, spoke of Koreans’ “innate” sense of hospitality. “We feel better when we welcome,” he said.
