Lining out for IEC2012: (l-r) IEC2012 volunteer Michael Jennings, TG4 presenter Roisin Ni Thomain TG4, Fr Barry Horan, IEC2012 Diocesan Delegate for the Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh & Kilfenora, TG4 presenter Sinéad Ní Loideáin and IEC2012 Volunteer Madeline Reynolds.
50th International Eucharistic Congress 2012 Launches a final Call for Volunteers
More than 1,000 people have already signed up as volunteers with this year’s 50th International Eucharistic Congress 2012 (IEC2012) but hundreds of different roles still remain for people interested in participating in this significant international event.
The clock is ticking for people who’d like to get involved as the closing date for registration with the Volunteer Programme is only one month away on 17 March 2012.
Around 25,000 pilgrims a day are expected to attend the RDS venue between 10 and 16 June, while 80,000 participants will gather to celebrate the Final Mass, Statio Orbis in Croke Park on 17 June.
Volunteers will engage in a diverse range of assignments, including: event services, medical services, media relations and logistics. A number of roles are also available in pre-Congress activities that include administration, marketing, IT and many other areas.
Places are still available for people willing to assist in the lead up to this international event or during the Congress week itself (10 – 17 June 2012). Anyone interested should be available to volunteer for a minimum of five days between 6 June and 19June 2012. Volunteers will be fully trained in advance of the Congress.
IEC2012 offers job seekers the ideal opportunity to enhance their CV and brush up on specific skills in today’s competitive jobs market. Full details of volunteering and the application form can be found at www.iec2012.ie/volunteer or contact (01) 234 9919.
The Eucharistic Congress is a truly international experience as many of the registered volunteers were not born in Ireland but have chosen to make it their home. So it is fitting that the 1,000th volunteer to sign up was Slovak national, Maria Farkasova, who has lived in Dublin for the last six years.
Speaking about her decision to get involved, Maria said: “I decided to volunteer for the 50th International Eucharistic Congress 2012 because I am passionate about working with people, trying to make a difference in their lives and helping them in any way possible. I feel that the event will have a big impact on the Christian community and I would like to be a part of it.”
Secretary General of IEC2012, Fr Kevin Doran, is emphatic about the importance of volunteers in this year’s Congress: “The input of volunteers will be key to the success of the 50th International Eucharistic Congress 2012. They have a central role to play at the heart of each and every element of this amazing event.”
The basic requirement for volunteering is that you are 18-years-old and legally resident in Ireland. People in receipt of jobseekers allowance are entitled to volunteer without affecting payments. The Department of Social Protection encourages people to do voluntary work.
Full details of the Department of Social Protection’s policy on voluntary work can be found here: http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Pages/JobseekersVoluntaryWorkOption.aspx
ENDS
High resolution images of the launch are available to download at: http://www.iec2012.ie/index.jsp?p=2011&n=2023&a=1855
Further information:
- Aisling Harmey, Media Relations Manager, 50th International Eucharistic Congress 2012,
Tel: 00353 (01) 234 9903 Mob: 00353 (0) 87 137 2447 Email: [email protected]
- Aoife Connors, Media Officer, 50th International Eucharistic Congress 2012,
Tel: 00353 (01) 234 9940 Mob: 00353 (0) 87 628 0580 Email: [email protected]
Notes for Editors:
- The 50th International Eucharistic Congress 2012 will take place in Dublin from 10 – 17 June 2012 with up to 25,000 pilgrims expected to attend each day at the RDS, including 12,000 international pilgrims representing 95 different countries.
- IEC2012 will transform the RDS into a Eucharistic Village for an eight day festival of faith and culture. The Eucharist will be celebrated in the Liturgy and adored in the Prayer Space.
- The Congress is an international gathering of people, every four years somewhere in the world, which aims to promote an awareness of the central place of the Eucharist in the life and mission of the Catholic Church; to help improve our understanding and celebration of the liturgy and to draw attention to the social dimension of the Eucharist. These aims are achieved through a programme of pastoral preparation in the years leading up to the Congress and a programme of liturgical and cultural events, lectures and workshops over the course of one week.
- The theme of the Congress is ‘The Eucharist: Communion with Christ and with one Another’ (Communion – like Solidarity – means a relationship of mutual love and self-giving).
- On 17 June, more than 80,000 people are expected to gather and celebrate the Final Mass of the 50th International Eucharistic Congress 2012 at Croke Park Stadium.
- There will be 18 keynote addresses by international speakers.
- The full programme is available at:
http://www.iec2012.ie/media/IEC2012ProgrammeofEvents1.pdf - Previous Congresses took place in Quebec (2008) and Guadalajara (2004)
- For more information: www.iec2012.ie
Registration for the Congress is now live on http://www.iec2012.ie/registration
