The Light - An Alumni Publication Fall 2014 | Page 25

HARMONY

YFU was successful because of the good will,
purpose and vision of world peace. Ministers,
teachers, principals, host families and volunteers
made it work. They asked nothing in return. Their
joy was to see these kids come and go. There
were tears of joy and sorrow at each arrival and
departure. Dr. Andresen helped lay the groundwork
for a movement that is still alive and well today, and
has spread to countries never thought possible in
1960.
It was an exhilarating time. We were fortunate
to have such a window of opportunity - after WWII,
there was a hunger to reach-out, develop new
relationships and repair old ones.

The Berlin Wall, the Iron Curtain, the Soviet
Union, and China - what was impossible to even
imagine at the time has evolved into lasting global
partnerships and individual friendships. As new
problems arise, we can only hope that our young
people will have the same opportunity to help create
world peace and understanding.
- Jim Aneff, YFU Chorale 1961

YFU ALUMNI CHORALE 2008
170 singers from 31 states and 4 foreign countries gathered for their 50th reunion in Ann Arbor at the
University of Michigan’s Hill Auditorium on June 29, 2008. When they first toured Europe and South
America decades ago, they were mere teenagers. Now most in their 60s, they still sound great. After
three days of intensive rehearsal, the Chorale alumni put on a two-hour concert at the end of the third
day. Listen to their first piece conducted by Robert Pratt and an oral history by Dan Berry.

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