The Website for the 5th WMF already exceeds 1.5 Million visits (03-01-2006)

VALENCIA The web site of the 5th World Meeting of the Families www.wmf2006.org, convoked by the Pope in Valencia from 1st to 9th July, has registered more than one and a half million users across five continents.

The country with most visits is Costa Rica, followed by Italy and Great Britain, sources from the Organization of the 5th WMF have indicated to the local agency AVAN today.

The site is offered in seven languages, "of which Spanish is the most sought after by users, who not only visit from Spain but also from Central and South America", according to the same sources.

Currently the web site offers, among other contents, the programme of events of the WMF and news about the event. Furthermore, it offers a volunteer's forum and testimonies and messages of support by families from countries all over the world.

Furthermore there are more than 500 links to the web site from schools, congregations, Catholic institutions and diocese from all over the world.

Therefore, through the offical web site it is also possible to access the nine preparatory catequesis for the 5th WMF, prepared by the Pontifical Council for the Family and the Archbishop of Valencia. The informative programme, which is used by parishes all over the world, includes an index of all the themes and structures of each catequesis.

The web site also has an introduction which includes the speech which Pope Benedict XVI gave at the opening of the Ecclesiastical Congress of the Diocese of Rome last June regarding Family and Christian community.

Furthermore, among other audiovisual resources with messages and news about the Meeting it is also possible to view the promotional video of the WMF. The video features people from many different nations and races and shows images of popular Valencian traditions, as well as other religious festivals.

Similarly, the Organization of the WMF has a free press service on its website www.wmf2006.org where both printed and audiovisual media can be found. These include publicity modules, radio spots as well as visual images concerning the history and development of the WMF. The only requirement is that interested news media register with the website to have access to resources. Registration is free of charge.

The Meeting's site currently offers a subscription to news in real time, as well as other documents of interest, photographs and articles designed for publication in both print and electronic media. Information is included about various aspects of the World Meeting of the Families.

AVAN