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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 14, No. 6. June 7, 1951
World Youth Peace Festival in Berlin this August . . . — New Zealand Students Will Be There
World Youth Peace Festival in Berlin this August . . .
New Zealand Students Will Be There
Wfdy and IUS and their festivals are familiar topics for argument in Victoria College. Many have abused the World Federation of Democratic Youth as being a sort of Coininform junior Sunday-School. But the world support for WFDY's Berlin Festival from 5th-19th August goes far ebyond the rough-house reds and parlour pinks. WFDY and IUS, Joint sponsors of this year's festival, have consecrated the event to world peace and understanding, and seek to make it a meeting place for all young people of all nations—to get them all together to discover the young people they are whipped up against are as human as themselves.
The British National Union of Students, with a very Conservative leadership, has recommended to all its affiliates that they send delegates and cultural teams—song, dance and drama groups. The All-India Students' Federation is sending 150 of its members. From Tyneside will come a sword-dance team, and from North umberland a group of Morris-[unclear: cers]. [unclear: Bristol] supplies football and cycling teams, and a choir. Strong delegations of students will be there from South America. In Czechoslovakia the young workers and students are engaging in competitions in literature, art, music, and other fields, for the right to represent the youth movement of their country.
The Swiss Nobel Prizewinner, Hermann Hesse, stated in a message to the Festival Committee: "I am not blind to the difficulties and also to the dangers; but peace between two hostile worlds is impossible as long as there is no live, human exchange and discusson." For that reason, he gave the Festival his support, and urged young people of all persuasions to go and meet together.
And what is little New Zealand doing? The Progressive Youth League is sending Betty Arya, their national secretary, and the Student Labour Federation are asking Robin Rockel, Jim Hollyman, Alec McLeod, and Mike [unclear: Murray] go across from London. But perhaps the most tremendous (Hollywood sense) news is that the two freshers from Canterbury left on the "Tamaroa" on Monday, 30th April, to work their way there. Crosbie Walsh goes representing the Canterbury College Socialist Club and SLF, and Pat McEwan representing the Canterbury Students' Association and the Student Christian Movement. It certainly looks as if this Festival is going to be a Big Thing.
I met Cros and Pat a few days' before they left. They are young, keen to learn about the world, and above all, anxious to do anything they can to help maintain world peace. Pat had met Ivan Menzies, and was impressed by the ideals of Moral Rearmament. Cros was slightly more worldly-wise, but full of a fresher's Starry-eyedness for all that. We are sure they will learn a lot from their experience.
Any Victoria College student who thinks he could find his way to Berlin by August—go, for God's sake. Get the stamp of observership from any club or association. And if you can't go, but would like to help the cause of peace in a small way, send a contribution in hard cash to Hec Macneill, Salient Room.
—C.B.