Moscow Peace Festival 1956

The trip to Moscow was an important event in Uzi Wiesel’s life.

Following his experience of the McCarthy era during his years at Juilliard, and the strong conviction that freedom of speech and belief is of the utmost importance, he decided to take a bold approach and join an Israeli delegation to the Peace Festival in Moscow in 1956. The event was regarded by many in Israel as a communist organised event. Communism at the time was considered a subversive movement in Israel, and following his return from the festival Uzi was attacked physically following a speech he made in a meeting in Tel Aviv, as well as being regarded by some as a traitor.

For Uzi, taking part in the festival was not an admission of affiliation to one political movement or another, but a chance for him to participate in musical activity (a Cello Competition) and to forge a dialogue with many people in a peaceful manner.

In his words:

“In our times it is very easy to go with the stream. It is known however that mostly dead fish swim with the stream, and I am not ready to be a dead fish”.

His experience in Moscow was rich. The chair of the competition jury was David Oistrach and Rostropowitch was on the jury as well, giving Uzi a chance to meet him and forge a friendship that lasted until Rostropowitch’s death.

The following link has the full transcript of his speech in Hebrew at the reception for the delegation - Uzi Wiesel full speech following his return from Moscow

Welcome!

Opening ceremony

Israeli delegation bus