The Organization of World Youth Day from the Perspective of Large-Scale Social Project Management

Abstrakt

This article evaluates the organization of World Youth Day (WYD) from the perspective of large-scale social project management. Initiated by Pope John Paul II in 1985 and first celebrated as a formally instituted observance in 1986, WYD is a major social and religious undertaking that has been continued by his successors. Its organization poses significant, multifaceted challenges for organizers and participants alike. Although WYD has been examined extensively in religious and social research, its organizational dimension has received limited systematic attention in management studies. The analysis therefore applies a project-management perspective. The study is based on the author’s qualitative research, including narrative interviews, conversations, and oral history accounts by individuals who participated in different social roles in the international WYD gatherings held in Kraków (2016), Panama City (2019), and Lisbon (2023). The findings, considered from several perspectives and including participants’ assessments, support a broadly positive evaluation of WYD organization. At the same time, the study’s exploratory design and small purposive sample indicate the need for broader international research.