“That they may all be one, as we are one.” (Jn 17:22)
In preparation for World Youth Day (WYD) 2027, the Diocese of Uijeongbu invited young people to participate in the “DMZ 2027 Peace Pilgrimage.” This pilgrimage was organized so that, walking along the paths of the DMZ, participants could encounter God through prayer and meditation, and directly experience the values of “peace, ecology, and martyrdom,” the vision of Uijeongbu’s diocesan WYD.
In particular, mindful of the reality of the border areas between North and South Korea—a defining characteristic of the diocese—and the yearning for peace of all the Korean people, the young people reflected deeply on the meaning of reconciliation and unity as they walked the paths of the DMZ. Furthermore, this experience became a time of spiritual preparation for the young people, the protagonists of World Youth Day and the future of the Church, enabling them to grow as servants capable of welcoming young people from around the world, representing the diocese and the host country.
The “DMZ 2027 Peace Pilgrimage” took place from May 22 to 25, over four days and three nights, covering approximately 30 km of trails in the Paju, Cheorwon, and Yeoncheon areas within the DMZ.
This program, organized in collaboration with the National Reconciliation Commission of the Diocese of Uijeongbu, offered the young people a valuable opportunity to experience firsthand the reality of the division of the Korean Peninsula and the call to peace, thus growing in faith.
The 80 participants—young people, religious, and priests—walked with the hope that, just as Korea was one before, it can once again be one. Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, they encountered Jesus again on the road, their hearts burning within them as they shared the walk, prayer, and fraternal dialogue. It was a significant time of communion and unity, in which they rediscovered the hope of peace in a land marked by division.
