World Youth Day 2008 (WYD2008) is pleased that the Federal and NSW Governments have confirmed arrangements for the use of Randwick Racecourse for our historic event next year.

The Federal and State Governments have been generous.

We are grateful to them for finalising arrangements and confirming access for World Youth Day, which will be held in venues across Sydney from 15-20 July 2008.

We congratulate the Australian Jockey Club on this achievement after the disruption of the equine flu.

We look forward to working with all the stakeholders to prepare for World Youth Day and to minimise disruption to the racing industry.

A minimum of disruption was always our intention, and we are also happy that there will be legacy items for the future.

Randwick Racecourse was recommended to WYD2008 last year - after 18 sites were assessed - as the venue for the Saturday evening Vigil, the sleep-out under the stars and the Final Mass on Sunday morning; this has always been the view of the NSW Government.

The announcement was made last year at a media conference hosted by the Australian Jockey Club at Randwick Racecourse with NSW Premier Morris Iemma, the Hon Malcolm Turnbull and Archbishop Stanislaw Rylko from the Vatican's Pontifical Council for the Laity.

The Final Mass is expected to draw up to 500,000 people - making it the biggest single gathering ever held in Australia. A quarter of those will be from overseas.

It will be a joyful and uplifting spiritual and cultural event for Australians and the youth of the world. We look forward to hosting His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on his first visit to Australia and the 125,000 international young people who will come to share the experience with the youth of Australia.