Norwegian students like student everywhere—tend to concentrate their interest on books and lectures. Beer, women and song normally take the rest of their time. But not always. Again and again our young intellectual workers have responded willingly when appeals have been made to wake up and help their less lucky student colleagues in other countries.

Consequently, when on October 28, 1959, a special committee, sponsored by the Norwegian National Union of Students (NSS) and the Norwegian Refugee Council, and headed by Arne Haugestad—a 24-year-old law student and dynamic ex-president of NSS—called for a general student offensive for the benefit of refugees, the Oslo student body did not hesitate to leave its study rooms and provide its contribution. To help even more the University agreed to cancel all lectures for the day so that no student his or her share.

Frode Omang tells what students did in Norway to assist world refugees.