The Question: President Eisenhower is concerned about the physical fitness of our youth. Do you have the same problem in your country?
KING SAUD
Saudi Arabia
Although sports are compulsory in all our schools it is scarcely necessary because boys and girls will play if given encouragement. I, personally, offer various prizes for the winners. The most popular games in Saudi Arabia are swimming, basketball, soccer, tennis and pingpong.
DAG HAMMARSKJOLD
Secretary General of the U.N.
We do not have the same concern in my country, Sweden. It is natural for us to lead an outdoor life and to engage in sports like skiing, swimming, hiking, etc. In my own case, a Sunday would not be complete without a long hike. Hiking is a good habit for children and adults.
JAWAHARLAL NEHRU
Prime Minister of India
Our problem is much worse, but we are trying hard to improve the physical fitness of our children. There is tremendous interest in field hockey and wrestling but not nearly enough of our youth engages in sports. Now we're encouraging them to compete in all the sports within the Olympic field.
SIR PERCY SPENDER
Australian Ambassador to the U.S.
I'm proud to say that a larger percentage of Australian boys and girls engage in sports than those of any other country. The Olympics proved that. Practically every boy and girl goes in for year-round activities like tennis, swimming, soccer, cricket, rugby, sailing, etc.
DR. CHARLES MALIK
Lebanon Minister of Foreign Affairs and National Education
In Lebanon the children lead an active outdoor life. Our climate, the mountains and the Mediterranean beaches offer sports facilities as fine as any in the world. Lebanese immigrants everywhere are sturdy and healthy law-abiding citizens, due in part to their vigorous youth.
RUDECINDO ORTEGA
Chilean Ambassador to the U.N.
We have the same problem, and we are so concerned that we are doing something about it. From the lowest schools to the universities we have planned sports. The young people are being encouraged to play soccer, engage in gymnastics, go out for sports of the track and qualify as swimmers.
TALAT BENLER
Senior Political Adviser to Turkish delegation at the U.N.
Absolutely not. There is no softness among children in Turkey. Since the days of the Turkish Revolution, great prominence has been given to sports. We have sports in schools and in every community. When a Turk becomes a soldier he's already tough. And we make him tougher.
ENRIQUE DE MARCHENA
Ambassador to the U.N. from the Dominican Republic
We have a Director General of Sports who is in charge of sports and physical fitness. Everybody engages in sports, children and older people. We have most of the sports you have in the U.S., but baseball is our great game. We have no worries about the fitness of our children.
DR. WOLFGANG WOLTE
Attaché to Austrian U.N. Mission
In general, no. We have practically no rejections for military service. Most of the boys engage in some sort of athletics, and the girls too. Skiing is the most popular sport, followed by soccer and swimming. One field in which we can improve a great deal is gymnastics.
TEN PHOTOS
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Should there be an open in tennis as there is in golf?
