M. 706
British National Publicity.
The British Council.
By Joseph Martin.
67
The Duke of Windsor, who was then the Prince of Wales, speaking
at a meeting held at St. James's Palace in July, 1955, in connexion
with the work of the newly-formed Eritish Council for Relations
with Other Countries, of which he was Patron, gave an outline of
the objects which the Council had set out to achieve. "Of all the
Great Powers", he observed, "Great Britain was the last in the
field in setting up a proper organisation to spread a knowledge
and appreciation of its language, literature, art, science, and
that was to say, to let the world know what it owed to
British achievements in these spheres.
education
17
Modern travelling facilities had done much to bring the peoples
Yet all over the world more and
of the world in closer contact with each other, but there was still
profound ignorance in many places of the British nation, its
culture, customs and institutions.
more persons were keen to learn the English language and become
acquainted with the wealth of literature and learning that a know-
ledge of English would make available to them. One of the many
ways in which the British Council could exert a beneficial influence
abroad was, therefore, to encourage and assist foreign students of
English.
Its
During the past four years the British Council has steadily
developed its cultural relationships with other countries.
lecturers have spoken to audiences in many parts of the world on a
large number of topics. It has encouraged and helped foreign
students to come to study at British Universities.
It has made
gifts of books to libraries abroad. Parties of editors from a
number of countries have visited Britain as guests of the Council.
Through the work of the usic Committee of the Council, many
rusicians abroad have learned for the first time of the love of
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