What is the greatest obstacle to overcoming global problems of social, economic, and political justice and stability? According to one summit of international and domestic students: communication. In 1967 Belkis Gone (Turkey), class of 1968, and Nandini Singh (India), class of 1969, attended the 12th national conference of the United States National Commission for UNESCO in Hartford, Connecticut to investigate the issue of communication on college campuses — and reported on issues of American apathy or ignorance.
Pictured above Hao-ying Fan (Taiwan), foreign fellow 1964, reads a Mandarin Chinese translation of Dante’s Inferno at a 1964 Italian Society event featuring students reading in their native languages. Others readers are (L-R): Laura M. Finne (Finland) graduate student, 1964; Christiane Muller (France), certificate student, 1964; Minami Morihiro (Japan), certificate student, 1964; Russian born Lily Klebanoff, class of 1964; Bridget Rose Dugdale (England), MA class of 1964; and Italian Club president Barbara Horwich, class of 1964, who read the Italian version.
“Perhaps Americans feel they’ve accomplished a lot without bothering about it, so why should they worry? But, when you’re an underdeveloped country you have to follow these issues much more closely — otherwise you will fall more behind.” —Belkis Gone (Turkey), class of 1968.
“I have been met here with much curiosity and interest, but with a disappointing lack of any real knowledge of India as it is today. If my friends at Mount Holyoke know so little, what must the common man know? And it is important that we know, the world is in too precarious a position for any indifference and ignorance in the free world. India is becoming increasingly important in the world situation today, it is of immense concern to all thinking people both at home and in the West that India should remain free. And for this to be effective we cannot, any of us leave open the gaps of misunderstanding and misconception which currently exist.” —Primilla Lall (India), class of 1962