The World Day of Orthodox Youth is a celebration for all Orthodox!

Tell the youth in your parish, youth group or school about the World Day of Orthodox Youth.

Ask them for ideas to celebrate this day together. If you are unable to celebrate on the exact day, choose another day - the nearest weekend for example.

Remember to ask your Bishop or priest for a blessing and support, and involve as many people as possible.

Here are some suggestions to help you celebrate the World Day of Orthodox Youth.

	Ask your priest to hold a prayer service and / or Bible study. Ask your priest to hold a prayer service or Bible study for the young people in your parish or youth group. The theme might be the Feast day itself, or the youth and their needs. Don't forget to inform the young people in advance.
	Organize an informal gathering of young people. Get a group of young people together, and go to an exhibition or to the park for a game of football. You could all go back to someone's house afterwards for a discussion, and end the day with a prayer.
	Plan a meal together at someone's house. A group could cook together and serve a meal as though in a restaurant for the youth, for all the members of the parish, or for a selected group like the elderly, or the priest's family. The cooks could learn to sing the Troparion of the Feast for their guests.
	Organize a meeting of Orthodox youth. Gather young Orthodox from your parish or group for a day of prayer, discussion, and activities. Ask your priest and other adults to support you. Try to find two or three committed people to help you plan and coordinate the day. It would be a good time to plan other events that could interest and motivate youth. It is also a good opportunity for the young people simply to spend a day together. New resolutions could be made on this day to deepen commitment to youth work.
	Spend some time with the older generation. Plan a visit to the home of some of the older members in your parish or community, or to an old people's home in your area. Make a cake and go round for tea. If you learn the Troparion of the Feast you could sing it to them and explain the significance of the feast and the icon if they do not know. The time you spend with them will be rewarding and bring great joy to all.
	Visit sick friends or relatives who are housebound or in hospital. Buy them some flowers and make them a card from the group and pray with them. Perhaps you could put the SYNDESMOS poster of the Feast up on their wall to cheer up the room.
	Do some social work in your area. Get your youth group involved for the day and offer your services to those in need. Arrange to visit a prison, an orphanage, or explore the possibility of helping at a homeless shelter. Gather clothes or food from the members of your parish or group for distribution or to donate to a charitable organization.
	Arrange a joint activity with other Orthodox parishes or groups. Have an Orthodox youth evening. Invite the youth of the other Orthodox groups, parishes and churches to come to your church for a service and for a meal or a social evening. In countries where there are various Orthodox jurisdictions, you could ask them to bring prayers in their liturgical language. This would be a good occasion to get to know other Orthodox young people outside your immediate group or parish, and to promote actively the unity of the Orthodox Church.
	Arrange a visit to an Orthodox monastery, parish or community. Go out for the day as a group to an alternative Orthodox place of worship, perhaps another church or a monastery. Don't forget to ask the blessing of the priest or abbot of the community. Make all arrangements in advance, and rember to check the times of the services and meals.
	Write an article, a report or send a photo to SYNDESMOS The SYNDESMOS General Secretariat would be very happy to receive any contributions about the celebration of The World Day of Orthodox Youth in your youth groups and parishes. Articles, reports, stories, poems, prayers or photos may be printed in future issues of SYNDESMOS News.

For more details on implementing any of the above suggestions and for any service or support for your Orthodox youth work, please contact the SYNDESMOS General Secretariat