BRITISH AND RUSSIAN YOUTH
Stn,—Your editorial of August zoth draws attention to the opportunities which now exist for establishing better relations with Russia through increased mutual understanding. The experience of the Anglo-Soviet Youth Friendship Alliance amply bears this* out. In April of this year when we began to arrange an essay competition for young people here on subjects relating to the U.S.S.R., we received a cable from Moscow saying that the Soviet Youth Anti-Fascist Committee was " planning to organise a parallel competition among young workers, school-children and students, which will give Soviet youth a better idea of their British friends." Prizes for this Russian competition have been donated by leading British firms and publishers, and consist of handsome sets of our literary classics, pictures of Britain, as well as sports equipment of every kind. A month later we received the following cable: • " Dear Friends,—The Soviet Youth Anti-Fascist Committee has recently reviewed the results of our joint activities in the course of the past year. With great satisfaction we noted substantial achievements in promoting mutual understanding and friendship between our two countries. Along- side this, however, we regret to say that the interest of Soviet youth in the life and work of their English friends has not been satisfied. We have not had adequate material to familiarise widely Soviet youth with the activities of the youth of Great Britain."
All efforts are being made here to satisfy this interest as fully as possible. Other examples from the two years' activity of this Youth Alliance to promote mutual understanding are too numerous to quote in full. The interest of British youth in their young Russian allies is enormous, and we have endeavoured to satisfy this through the publication of informed study outlines on different aspects of life in Russia, and stories of the life of young people there today ; through travelling exhibitions, and by arranging correspondence between young people in Russia and Britain. The admiration and sympathy of British youth has been expressed in the 16,000 parcels of comforts for the Red Army which they sent last winter, and by their readiness to send help to the children's home near Moscow which the Alliance has adopted. This home cares for 400 boys and girls, mostly orphans, who have been rescued from the occupied areas.
We are sending you copies of some of the letters recently received from young people in Russia who want " pen-friends " in Britain. Vera Anismova writes: " We like and respect you English children, and nothing will give us more joy than corresponding with you. Please give my regards to your parents and your friends. Remember I shall be waiting for a reply impatiently." Elizabeth Zvantseva also says: "I shall be very glad to have a pen-friend abroad and am therefore awaiting your answer. I read your letter to my friend Galina and she liked it very much. You are right when you say that we Russians are giving up everything to save our country. We also have a high opinion of you English people who do not flinch before the Fascists. Please write and tell me what ' Guides' means and all about the organisation." " Dear Jannochka," writes Galya Khotenovskaya, to her friend Jane, " in Russia when we are good friends and are very fond of each other we add to proper names the suffix ochka '—so, dear Jannochka, please send me a photograph of yourself and I'll send you mine in the next letter."
This spirit of friendship and interest in our way of life is fully recipro.. cated in the letters despatched from this country. Youth at least desires a world in which the nations live in friendship and constructive peace. To quote from Sergei Lapekin, who writes from the Urals: "The Governments of our two countries have built across the abyss of Fascism a steel bridge of friendship and mutual aid. Let us, too, stretch across to each other a little bridge of friendship of the youth of two great Allied Press Public Relations Officer.
Anglo-Soviet Youth Friendship Alliance, 104 Wigmore Street, London, W. r.
Previous page
