58 IN MEMORIAM

In Memoriam- ALVA MYRDAL ·1902·1986

OMEP will celebrate the 40th An­niversary of its founding in Prague in1988, and as we look forward to this his­torical event, it is natural that we shouldwant to honour those who, with vision,enthusiasm and energy, laid the foun­dations for the organization. It is withsadness that we add the name of AlvalMyrdal of Sweden to the list of thosewhose presence will be missed, but whoselife and work we respect and honour.

Kerstin Backstrom, vice-presidentof the Swedish National Committee ofOMEP, writes,

"Alva Myhrdal, who died in Stock­holm on February l st, of this year, wasco-founder with Lady Allen of Hurtwood(UK), of OMEP and the founder­president at the first WorldCouncil/Conference in Prague in 1948.She was later elected chairman of the in­terim committee of 16 elected members.In January, 1949, she was appointed to ahigh position in the UN, and could nolonger work with this committee. Alvawas for many years the director of theDepartment of Social Questions for theUnited Nations and for UNESCO inParis. She was president in the CnitedNations Commission for Disarmamentand Development, and was the first per­son to receive the Albert Einstein PeacePrize, and a receiver of the Nobel PeacePrize."

Kerstin goes on to give a free trans­lation from Swedish in quoting a messagefrom Alva, given at one of her last officialengagements,

"If we believe that most things forany reason will fix themselves to the bestsolution, things will go wrong, as well asthe risks of war, the pollution of the en­vironment, the starvation and increasinghardening and paralyzation of people.But if we dare to see and feel the snares,that without mercy are being tightened,this might give us the power of despairand anger to break them. "

Kerstin shows how the Swedish Na­tional Committee of OMEP hasresponded to this challenge:

"The Swedish National Committeehas deeply engaged in peace-education,and Alva Myrdal's last official perfor­mance was the first seminar on the topicarranged by the Swedish Committee. Ithas resulted in a book, meant as aguideline for pre-school teachers whenteaching peace-education for smallchildren. The book was edited onFebruary 4, 1986, and the Swedish Com­mittee wants to pay its tribute to AlvaMyrdal with it. In the Foreword of thebook, Alva Myrdal has said.

"I see peace-education as amovement of resistance againsteverything that has gonewrong."

ALVA MYRDAL

Madeleine Goutard, World Presi­dent of OMEP, writes of Alva Myrdal'swork,

"Alva Myrdal's work for families,schools, young children, and women, andfor development and disarmament, alongwith the work of her husband, the distin­guished economist Gunnar Myrdal (whowas one of the first people to awakenWestern awareness ofthe problems of theThird World), was instrumental in shap­ing the development of ideas and policiesover the last few decades."

It is fitting that OMEP, in thisUnited Nations International Year ofPeace, should honour its peace-lovingfounder-President, Alva Myrdal. Shepersonified the power of commitment topeace through the efforts of those whobelieve that peace-education is based onimproving the quality of human rela­tions. OMEP today believes, as did itsfounders, that by starting with theyoungest children, and the adults whocare for them, it is essential to focus time,energy and vision to building good inter­national relations, and thus secure asound foundation for peace in the world.

Margaret Roberts

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