A newly confident Soviet Union became more open to the outside world. In 1957, Moscow hosted the World Youth Festival, bringing to the city tens of thousands of young people from all over the globe. Soviet youth savored their first contact with foreigners. "Day and night people thronged the boulevards in national costumes, with instruments, with flowers, with arms full of gifts. The Russians threw themselves into this festival as if every stranger were a kinsman, returning home," remembered Kim Chernin, who traveled from the United States to attend. Together with foreign guests, Soviet youth danced all night to the, sounds of jazz and African drums, and listened to open-air poetry readings.