Under the slogan ‘For Anti-Imperialist Solidarity, Peace and Friendship’, the international event held in Pyongyang gathered 22,000 youth from 177 socialist, non-aligned and western countries, to discuss issues of peace and disarmament, environmental issues, women's and children's rights, and to learn of each other's cultures. At the 13th edition, the first to be held in Asia since the festival’s establishment in 1945, the Romanian Youth Delegation was a guest of honor due to the exceptional friendship between the leaders of the two countries. Diplomatic cables sent by the Romanian embassy during the festival describe a tense behind-the-scene political situation that would eventually lead to a profound historical change. The experiences of young participants from Romania, USA, Russia and Korea paint the portrait of a generation on the brink of history. It was the hottest summer of the Cold War and the end of an era.