Young South Korean Catholics have planted hundreds of trees in a park as part of a preparatory campaign leading up to the next World Youth Day to be held in Seoul in 2027. Source: UCA News.
About 80 volunteers, including youth representatives, volunteers, and clergy, participated in planting 300 Cornelian cherry trees in the southern slope of Haneul Park in Sangam World Cup Park on April 26, the Seoul Archdiocese said in a media release.
These trees, known for their early spring blossoms and carbon-absorbing properties, will contribute to the ecological restoration of the area while serving as a living sign of hope, the release noted.
The event was part of the “Breathe Life into the Whole World” campaign, a three-year ecological movement leading up to WYD 2027.
This campaign reflects the ecological vision outlined in Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical on care for our common home, which urges humanity to embrace environmental responsibility and protect the Earth as a shared dwelling.
“An act as simple as planting a tree becomes a sign of hope for our planet and future generations,” the late pope wrote in Laudato Si’.
The Seoul Archdiocese, in collaboration with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, aims to plant over 10,000 trees across six events with the participation of some 2000 volunteers.
Haneul Park, a reclaimed landfill turned ecological haven, was chosen as a symbolic venue to reflect the spirit of renewal, hope, and sustainability.
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Young Koreans plant trees to prepare for World Youth Day (UCA News)
