The participants gathered at 9 am at the central meeting point at the Stična Monastery, where the event, called Stična of the Youth (Stična mladih), traditionally takes place. The programme was spread out across three thematic strands that took place separately, i.e. in the main event area, the monastery meadow and the church. Among other things, the event tried to answer the question of what young people are afraid of today and how this fear can be overcome. Activities in the afternoon comprised workshops aimed at discussing different topics, including adoption, bioethics, health, family, professions, and some of them included dance and music. The workshops were followed by a mass given by the Ljubljana auxiliary bishop Franci Šuštar and the final highlight, a concert of the Stična band. Other highlights included a football tournament and a stall fair featuring various youth organizations.

Emphasis on socializing and content
According to the Ljubljana Auxiliary Bishop, who spoke at the press conference on Wednesday, Stična has undergone several changes in the past 37 years. Initially, it was primarily a meeting of youth catechesis groups, and later it evolved into a full-day all-Slovenian meeting of Catholic youth. Consequently, the organisers had to add various additional content, such as workshops, stalls etc. "In the past, emphasis was on socializing and music, but now it is on socializing and content," said Šuštar.

In his words, young people are connected primarily in friendship, joy and prayer. According to Šuštar, the messages they receive in Stična are also taken to their families and their wider environment, which is why it is also important for the wider society.

According to coordinator Helena Nagoda, the organiser of the 'Stična of the Youth' has traditionally been the Catholic Youth Community, more specifically, a small group of 25 people within it. Early preparations start in January and intensify in April. This year alone, 250 volunteers and creators have been involved in the preparation of the programme and the rest.

According to Nagoda, the number of participants at Stična of the Youth has dropped slightly when compared to early years, but has been stable in recent years and ranges from around 5,000 to 6,000. The structure of the participants has also changed slightly, with younger people attending the event in recent years.