Madrid, Spain, Aug 11, 2011 / 12:01 pm
The young people attending World Youth Day in Madrid will pay 70 percent of the total costs of the event, financial director Fernando Gimenez Barriocanal said on Aug. 11.
The event's total budget is an estimated $71.3 million. Registration fees paid by young people so far total $44.5 million, Barriocanal said. Of the total budget, $17.6 million will be spent on the main events which include the welcoming ceremony, the Via Crucis and the vigil and final Mass.
Barriocanal said the rest of the expenses associated with World Youth Day are being covered by sponsors of the event and donors, who have contributed $23.3 million, and by the event's product sales, which total $3.3 million.
Of the total budget for the event, $10 million has gone to infrastructure, $7.7 million to hospitality. Nearly $6.6 million has been spent on the manufacturing of the World Youth Day backpack and its contents, $6 million on the program and pilgrim’s guide, $5.6 million on hospitality for volunteers, $3.6 million on marketing material, $3.2 million on media materials, $2.9 million on computer systems and $2.8 million on housing preparations and catechesis venues.
Organizers have spent $1.6 million on security and press credentials and $1 million on administrative expenses.