Preparations In Gear At Pa. Convention Center Ahead Of World Meeting Of Families Conference
By John McDevitt
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Progress is being made at the Pennsylvania Convention Center for the World Meeting of Families conference starting on Tuesday.
Hundreds have been working hard installing things like lights, sound systems, and rugs.
"There is an awful lot of activity," says Peter Horch, director of events at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. "If you measure the amount of trusts and lighting that is in this location right now, we are exceeding a half-mile to a mile of all trusts and lighting."
An area has been set up with tables and curtains, resembling a church bazaar. Five-hundred exhibitors will be in the market place.
"We have people from all over the world," Horch says, "and it's such an array of everything under the sun in terms of all religions that will be represented there.
Horch says it's a massive effort but all is going according to plan.
"It's a huge event and we know that all eyes are on Philadelphia this year, and we are very, very excited about it," he says. "We have been planning this event with World Meetings for well over 18 months. Everything is in the details. You can see it's coming together and in this room you have the experts who are putting it together. They know what to do.
And a media center is all wired and ready for thousands of journalist expected to cover the World Meeting of Families events and papal visit.
Approximately 17,000 people are registered for the conference.
