IYC 2019: In search of artists and other contributions

The International Youth Convention will run from 30 May to 2 June 2019 in Düsseldorf, Germany. Over 40,000 participants are expected at the fairgrounds, including young people from many countries of the world, along with Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider and many Apostles.

The preparations for the IYC are being coordinated by 25 members of the planning committee. They are representatives of the European District Churches who know what they are doing based on their years of involvement with youth care and youth work. On 21 and 22 September 2017 they assembled for their fourth meeting in Düsseldorf, and presented the interim results of their preparations. Also presented were the results of the survey that had been sent out over April and May of this year. At the time, some 3,000 young people responded to this survey to express their thoughts and preferences on content, music, and activities.

Greatest interest in the divine service

In response to the question of interest in individual events, the divine service received the highest ratings, independent of age and gender. Participant interest in theological subjects—such as the “return of Christ” and “life after death”—is also extraordinarily strong.

Other individual results from the survey are now being analysed by the work groups, and will be taken into account in the further steps of the planning process. Specific suggestions and ideas that were likewise expressed in the survey will also flow into the overall programme design. The results of the survey will be published on the internet in the coming week for everyone’s information.

Specific suggestions possible starting in mid-October

The “Music” planning group is now looking forward to many applications from solo artists and groups who would like to be part of the musical programming of the event. Various stages will be available for these purposes in the exhibition halls.

The “Fair” planning group is also looking forward to suggestions from young people. In the next few days it will be possible for young people to submit specific ideas and contributions on the website of the IYC. “Our hope is that as much of the programme content as possible will be supplied and implemented by young people themselves,” said one organiser.

National and international IYC ambassadors

A big topic of discussion on the second day of the meeting was the welcome package that each participant will receive when they arrive on location. Frank Schuldt introduced some preliminary ideas and concrete articles to the “Communication” planning group. In addition, he presented a concept for how to advertise the request for such contributions in the District Churches. Beyond that, so-called ambassadors will be tasked with the promotion of the International Youth Convention in the various countries right up until 2019.

• Website of the International Youth Convention
• International Youth Convention app for mobile devices (iOS and Android )
• Key visual of the International Youth Convention