Austrian holiday

Press, 8 July 1983, Page 1

Austrian holiday

Four Christchurch children and their chaperon will leave Christchurch today for an international children’s camp in Austria. With the chaperon, Ms Betty Tucker (centre), are (from left) Kate Taylor, Dion Wall, Kirsten George, and Jeffrey Carr. The camp at Salzburg is part of a world-wide organisation, based in Britain, called Children’s International Summer Villages. The main aim of C.LS.V. is to promote world peace and understanding through children.

The four children, all aged 11, will join others from many different countries at the camp, which will last for four weeks.

The president of C.I.S.V. in New Zealand, Mr Ron Coventry, said that at the age of 11 children were particularly impressionable, the reason why that age was chosen for the camps.

“The children meet and make friends with children their own age of all different nationalities,” he said.

“The sleeping arrangements are changed every few nights so that they will meet more.

"One night there could be a Canadian, a Greek, a Nicaraguan, and a New Zealander in the room, the next it could be an American, an Austrian, and an Australian.”

There will be about 60 children in the house in Salzburg where the camp is held. Each night a delegation from a different country will prepare the menu and give talks about its country.

The New Zealand delegation has been working for about two months on its presentation, which will include Maori dances, songs,

and stick games. Faviova adorned with kiwifruit is a culinary art the group has perfected. It has also made gifts to take such as kiwis made from sheepskin. During the day at the camp, the usual youth camp activities such as games, arts, and crafts will be held, with trips to scenic places, amusement parks, and museums.

The children help organise the camp themselves, to a certain degree. Mr Coventry said that the C.I.S.V. had been in the North Island for about three years, and a shorter time in the South Island. It was founded by an American woman in 1952.

It was originally introduced to New Zealand by Air New Zealand, which had had the idea suggested by a Government agency. This was because the children of Air New Zealand staff could have subsidised fares, thus enabling them to participate, he said. Applications for the camp were considered last Christmas, when a selection camp was held for one week.

There were about 20 applications for this year's camp. Four children left two weeks ago for another camp in Ohio. The countries taking part in the Salzburg camp are New Zealand, Hungary, Italy, Jordan, Syria, South Korea, Britain, Denmark, Norway, Austria, and Turkey.

The parents of the four children from New Zealand will pay for their air fares to and from Austria.