World Youth Day Sydney 2008 is an event of ‘firsts’ – the first time the Pope will send attendees daily SMS messages, the first time more than 500,000 youth will gather for an event, and now the first World Youth Day online social networking website Xt3 (www.Xt3.com). With plenty of new friends to make and family to keep updated back home, the young people enjoying WYD08 now have a way to keep connected.

At the launch of Xt3.com at the Telstra Experience Centre in Sydney, His Eminence Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney and Bishop Anthony Fisher, Coordinator of WYD08, tested the site with 100 young people, asking them all to be their online friends on the Telstra hosted site.

“We are very excited to launch Xt3.com and to be helping young people and their friends plan their trip and share their faith and excitement for World Youth Day,” said Bishop Fisher.

“The name ‘Xt3’ was inspired by Pope John Paul II, who spoke of young people’s special task to bring the Gospel of Christ into the third Christian Millennium and to build a better civilisation.

“It is hoped that Xt3 users will continue to connect after World Youth Day in July, to build upon friendships made and continue dialogue about what it means to be a young person of faith,” he said.

“This will be the most interactive World Youth Day event to date with Xt3.com, Papal SMS’s and Digital Prayer Wall’s keeping pilgrims involved before, during and after the event, said Michael Rocca, Group Managing Director, Telstra Networks and Services.

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Running time: 2 min. 34 sec.