[7] President Kekkonen encouraged Finnish youth to associate with people or cultural groups from other parts of the world,[8] but had no plans to attend the festival.

[9] Local media was quiet about the festival with the exception of Hufvudstadsbladet, which adopted a neutral stance, and the newspapers of the FPDL, CPF and SFUWS.

The official newspaper of the festival, Helsinki Youth News, was printed in the printshops of Demokraatti, Helsingin Sanomat and Uusi Suomi.

[citation needed] The 8th World Festival of Youth and Students plays an important part in the plot of the 1997 Hungarian cult comedy Dollybirds (Csinibaba), set in 1962.

The main characters form a rock 'n' roll band and enter a talent competition where the winner can perform at the festival in Helsinki.