the dates chosen for this years world youth day allow students in the region to attend during their summer vacation rome pope francis left rome wednesday morning for panama on his 26th foreign trip since becoming pope more like a prayer pope francis launches click to pray app to unite young catholics pope francis waves as he boards a plane on his way to panama at romes leonardo da vinci international airport in fiumicino italy jan 23 2019 telenewsepa via shutterstock the four days of events include the popes delivering seven speeches and celebrating two masses as well as a penitential liturgy and meeting young people unable to attend the festivities because theyre in jail or living with hiv drug and alcohol addiction pope francis waves to the faithful from the window of the apostolic palace overlooking st peters square in the vatican upon his arrival for the weekly angelus prayer jan 20 2019 vincenzo pintoafpgetty images time is running out and leaders from all sectors are showing very low ambition to embark in the rapid transformation that is needed to protect our precious common home and all its inhabitants the statement said pope acknowledges young people put off by church scandals the pope will return to the vatican on monday in his speeches the pope is expected to address many problems which are common to latin america including gang violence drug trafficking migration poverty unemployment and broken family structures to show they meant what they said more than 1000 international young volunteers cleaned up panamas malecon beach on costa del este removing 15 tons of garbage more they asked church officials and young catholics to address pressing global environmental issues like climate change a lack of biodiversity and the loss of ancestral lands for indigenous people about 200000 youths from more than 150 countries are expected to converge on panama the country sending the secondlargest group of young people will be the united states and more than 1000 young indigenous people from around the world also will be attending his other foreign trips this year include stops in the united arab emirates morocco bulgaria macedonia and romania hell be in the central american country until sunday to attend the catholic churchs 34th world youth day a gathering of catholic youths from around the world ahead of the popes arrival young people in panama issued a manifesto to draw attention to the worlds environmental problems