ASIAN TOUR 1967 KOREA
SPEECH GIVEN SY THE PRIME MINISTER, MA. HAROLD HOLT,
ON THE OCCASION OF THE CONFERMENT OF HONORARY DOCTORATE OF LAWS,
SEOUL UNIVERSITY
vr i * i 7TH APRIL, 1967.
Mr. President Choe, Mr. Dean, Mr. Prime Minister, distinguished
members of the Faculty of Seoul National University, students
of the National University and ladies and gentlemen.
This is a very proud moment in my life. The privilege
which you have accorded me is a great honour. I regard it as a
great honour because I know that in this National University of
Seoul Honorary Doctorates are not accorded lightly. It is a
tribute which I accept not merely for myself but for my country
and in the spirit of frierdship which inspires it. It is more
than 36 years ago that I gained my own degree, quite a modest
degree of Bachelor of Laws, in the University of Melbourne. I
have had to wait those 36 years to receive this very much higher
distinction which I like to feel, although it may not have been
gained in the academic sphere, has been accorded for service in
the University of Life. ' e live toether regardless of the
country from which we come in one of the most interesting and
exciting phases in human history, and nowhere is the process of
turbulence and change a challenge more evident than in the region
of Asia which yve inhauit together.
It is an exciting era because although it is a period
of restlessness and change, although it is full of challenge, it is
also an era full of opportunity and hope to the better world for
which we all aspire.
Mankind has learned through the processes of science
through education, through his relations one with the other, that
the age-old enemies of man, illiteracy, disease, poverty, insecurity,
economic instability, these enemies can b-conquered.
There are some fortunate countries in the world in which
they have been largely conquered and in other countries there is the
expectation that these things can be accomplished.
When the leaders of the nations meeting at Manila last
year were holding their discussions together, their thoughts were
not merely on military matters even though they were, to a very
significant degree, involved in military operations in relation
to issues of far reaching consequences. Issues which went as
deep as the challenge to the security and freedom of your own
people and your own country back in those dark days of the 1950' s.
But while we turned our thoughts to the problems of
how security could be brought to this area we also had a version
of the better world to which we could ill contribute.
This is a world in which these enemies are defeated
and in which people could live in freedom, in social security with
justice liberty and freedom for individuals and for democratic
institutions. Now in this era, we strive for these things.
This is an era in which man with his enterprise and
irrepressible spirit is prooin the mysteries of the universe, of
the shores of outer space and Zhe depths of the sea, and is seeing
new developments in industry, agriculture, science and in education. / 2
-2-
The young people, those who ar'e coming throuh their process
of education, have a tremendous contribution to make. There is
evidence throughout the world, a phenomenon not restricted to any
one country, that there is a sense of urgency on the part of young
people to learn more about the world in which they live, to make
a greater contribution to the betterment of their fellow men.
We who have the responsioility for Jovernment must
recognise these things, they create great responsibilities for
jovernment and great problems. They create immediate and difficult
complex problems for Ministers of Education and, indeed speaking
as a Minister of Finance for seven years, reat difficulties for
Ministers of Finance. But they are problems which we are meeting
and which -ve must continue to meet to give a better world to the
rising generation and those who aspire to freedom and a better
world, in whatever country they are to oe found.
The opportunities for making the most of these talents
and resources; perhaps older men like myself can dream of a world
in which these things have been at some point of time achieved.
Perhaps it will oe the good fortune of those young peoole I see
in this audience today, to find them realised within their own
lifetime.
you are exprTeshsaitn gw iflrlo mje a mgy refoant d inhospteit uatrido, n byo f thleisa rncienregm, onay trtoibduayt, e
to those who have the responsibility of making the laws which can
fashion a oetter order for the world of the future.
I do prize the distinction which you have conferred upon
me and, in so far as it lies within my power, I shall do , wthat I can
gfrooaml s mwy e exhapveer iesnecte , o umrsy elevneesr, g ieasn d mtoy awborikl ittioe st het o efvuorltuhtieorn thoofs ea gwroeraltd
at peace that is progressing, tlit is prosperous and is secure the
liberty and the sense of security of all people who are of gooA will
throughout the world.
I thank you Mr. President and your colleagues. I thank
you, Mr. Prime Minister, for the generous things you have found
yourself able to say to me. It is to me a pleasing thing that the
researchers of the University have delved into some of my earlier
performances. I hope that my performances of the future will be
worthy of the honour they have bestowed upon me.