Volunteers Told To Learn And Teach

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30959, 15 January 1966, Page 12

Volunteers Told To Learn And Teach

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, January 14. The Minister of Education (Mr Kinsella) today told Volunteer Service Abroad volunteers their assignments entailed not only teaching, but absorbing the culture of the countries they visited.

In a speech to bid farewell to volunteers going to the Pacific and South-east Asia this month, Mr Kinsella referred to New Zealand’s “past somewhat insular attitude. The sooner we get out into the world to help others the better it will be.” Other cultures had existed far longer than New Zealand’s. “We’ve got a lot to learn,” he said. “We can’t live with people by conquest, by keeping them down. We’ve got a duty The sooner the less-developed nations get up to our standard of living, the better it will be.” Referring to the qualifications of the 42 volunteers going abroad, Mr Kinsella said: “In a world crying out for knowledge, we can’t keep all these qualified people ourselves.” Asian peoples regarded New Zealand as a “small but

honest and friendly country.” New Zealand had a future in the Pacific and South-east Asia, and could play a large part in those areas of the world. He told volunteers: “You’re going as ambassadors. Over there you’ll realise just what ambassadorship entails.”