Brussels, 11/08/2004 (Agence Europe) - More than 500 youth organisations and more than 5,000 participants from all round the world are meeting in Barcelona on 9 August for the World Youth Festival, which continues until 15 August. The seven-day event of contact making and ongoing dialogue will focus on four main topics, sustainable development, conditions for peace, cultural diversity and globalisation. Activities include workshops, round tables, exhibitions and cultural events in thematic events like world youth cooperation, youth policy and poverty. Giacomo Filibeck, President of the European Youth Forum, opened the gathering, inviting participants to take advantage of the opportunity to create new proposals to construct a better world through dialogue and mutual respect. He also remembered the important role youth organisations play in representing young people in general at various institutions. Maria Helena Henriques, Head of UNESCO's youth unit, pointed out that many young people live in inferior social conditions, affected by AIDS, or in a violent context, and invited participants to take such young people's needs into consideration.