WYD2008 速報

2007年5月1日にWYD0）はカンタス航空が航空会社パートナーであると発表しました。
国際的に有名な同社は、WYD08に加わる初のメイン・パートナー会社です。

教皇ベネディクト16世は約12万5,000人の海外からの巡礼者を引き連れてシドニーにおいでになります。
WYD08の期間中、海外からの巡礼者は、オーストラリアの各地域を訪ね、オーストラリアでの滞在を満喫します。

3月に、オーストラリア連邦政府は登録した巡礼者に3ヵ月のビザを発給すると発表しました。 これは、巡礼者がWYDの前後によい長い間、オーストラリアを見てまわることが出来るように　との配慮です。

ペル枢機卿は、カンタス航空の献身的な協力とオーストラリアの各州と連邦政府の支持とが一緒なることが中心的な鍵となると述べました。
また、「巡礼者の円滑で公平な輸送を助け、全世界の巡礼者のために、カンタス航空の専門的なノウハウを利用しています。」

WYD08は世界最大の青年イベントで、50万人の参加が見込まれています。

カンタスは世界の主要な長距離航空会社のうちの1つであり、オーストラリアから北アメリカとヨーロッパまでサービスを創始しました。

カンタス・グループはオーストラリア、アジアと太平洋の143の空港、米州、ヨーロッパとアフリカにわたるネットワークを持ち、およそ3万7,000人の社員がいる会社です。

以下、原文。

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World Youth Day Sydney welcomes Qantas as Official Airline Partner

1 May 2007: World Youth Day Sydney 2008 (WYD08) today announced Qantas would be its official global and domestic airline partner.

The internationally renowned carrier is the first major corporate partner to join WYD08 - an event expected to attract the largest international visitor and media contingent to Sydney since the 2000 Olympic Games.

WYD08 - the largest youth event in the world - will draw an estimated 125,000 overseas visitors to Sydney and mark the first visit to Australia by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI in July 2008.

"We are very pleased Qantas has agreed to support World Youth Day 2008," said the Chairman of the WYD08 Local Organising Committee and Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell.

"Qantas is not only an iconic company in Australia - it is also very highly regarded and recognised worldwide.

"Qantas will help convey to international pilgrims the Australian flavour we will bring to this event, as we invite the world to celebrate with us in July 2008."

Cardinal Pell said Qantas would play a major role in bringing many of the overseas pilgrims to Australia as well as significant numbers from interstate and regional NSW to Sydney.

International pilgrims are also expected to visit other parts of Australia prior to the WYD08 week (15-20 July 2008), giving them a greater Australian experience.

In March, the Federal Government announced all registered pilgrims would receive a minimum three-month visa - free of Government charges - enabling them to see more of Australia while here for World Youth Day.

Cardinal Pell said the Qantas commitment was a key pillar partnership alongside the already committed substantial State and Federal Government support.

"Just as importantly, we will be tapping into Qantas' global expertise to help transport pilgrims as smoothly as possible and to deliver a world class celebration for a global audience," he said.

The Chief Executive of Qantas, Geoff Dixon, said Qantas was honoured to be associated with the visit of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.

"Events of the magnitude of World Youth Day provide an opportunity to showcase the best Australia has to offer - a responsibility Qantas takes seriously.

"We look forward to working with the World Youth Day organisers to promote Australia as one of the world's most beautiful destinations, as well as using our extensive event travel experience to ensure the smoothest possible arrangements for the many thousands of visitors flying in for the event," Mr Dixon said.

The Qantas partnership with World Youth Day will play a key role in successfully staging this historic occasion.

World Youth Day is the largest youth event in the world and will involve an anticipated 500,000 participants.

Media Contact: Jim Hanna 0414 828 629 | jim.hanna@wyd2008.org

Qantas is recognised as one of the world's leading long distance airlines, having pioneered services from Australia to North America and Europe.

The Qantas Group employs approximately 37,000 staff across a network that spans 143 destinations (including codeshare services) in Australia, Asia and the Pacific, the Americas, Europe and Africa. www.qantas.com