UK launch of social networking site www.Xt3.com for World Youth Day

Xt3.com, the first ever online social networking site for a World Youth Day, will celebrate its UK launch tonight in Mayfair, Central London.

The brainchild of three British men, brothers John and Robert Toone, and entrepreneur Chris Purslow, Xt3 aims to bring young people together online to help build a better world offline.

World Youth Days, begun by the late Pope John Paul II in the 80s, are the largest gatherings of young people in the world – more than five million young pilgrims traveled to Manila for WYD 1995 and over two million attended WYD 2000 in Rome.

WYD 2008 is being held in Sydney, Australia in mid-July, and is anticipating a crowd of up to 500,000 people at the final event on Sunday 20th July, at Randwick racecourse.

Although this is a global initiative, most of the funding for this exciting project has come from the UK. Recognition and thanks will be given at the launch tonight to all the UK founder donors. The site has been designed and developed by young people at Xt3’s offices based in Leeds, with the help of Sense Internet, winners of the Yorkshire Digital Awards 2008, who’ve led an alpha development group of several thousand young people from around the world.

“Xt3 has been launched in time for the Sydney event, but it is a legacy for the Catholic Church not only in Australia but across the world,” said Robert Toone, co-founder of Xt3.com.

“The name ‘Xt3’ was inspired by Pope John Paul II and stands for Christ in the Third Millennium. Pope John Paul II spoke of how young people have a special task to bring the message of Christ to the world in the third millennium.”

Unique to the Xt3 social networking site will be faith connection features such as ‘Ask a Priest’ and ‘Prayer Intentions’ along with diocesan homepages and official WYD08 groups. Furthermore, a group of trained administrators will oversee Xt3 on a 24-hour basis to ensure that images, videos, comments and discussions are appropriate.

Along with an impressive ‘groups’ section with discussion threads, photos with folder options, profiles and friends pages, events and private messaging, Xt3 will also boast a projects section.

This capacity to coordinate and organise young people to do something to build a better world is another important dimension to Xt3. “It’s not enough just to talk,” said co-founder John Toone.

“We want Xt3 members to use the site to create initiatives in areas like social justice, charitable activities, and spreading the Christian message in a secularized world. It will also be a way to link together Church agencies and existing groups to share resources and help each other.”

Hosted by Telstra, Xt3.com received its Australian launch in Sydney (12 June) with His Eminence Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney and Bishop Anthony Fisher, Coordinator of WYD08.

“This will be the most interactive World Youth Day event to date with Xt3.com, Papal SMS’s and Digital Prayer Wall’s keeping pilgrims involved before, during and after the event,” said His Eminence Cardinal George Pell.

Since then over 15,000 people from over 177 countries have registered on Xt3.com and the feedback has been fantastic:

“I think Xt3 is the greatest invention since the wheel! I was already familiar with MySpace & especially Facebook, but there's something about Xt3 which is so much more appealing & inviting!”

“I just wanted to let who ever created this site know... that it is amazing and I love being able to meet others who have been or are going to World Youth Day.”

“Some people are calling this the ‘Catholic Facebook’ but I think it goes further than that.”

Xt3 now invites everyone to join at www.Xt3.com.

Media enquiries:

Ruth Davies

Mobile 07977 178379

Email ruth.davies@xt3media.org