Near Stockholm, Sweden, an airfield was rented as a campsite. The runways formed streets of a trailer and tent community for 12,000 people, and the sailplane hangars were turned into cafeterias. All of this attracted the attention of the Swedish press and television. Svenska Dagbladet said that this “suburb” had been erected with “colossal organizational skill” and then remarked that the Witnesses “are admirably skilled in arranging everything in a practical way, sensibly and nicely.” According to the newspaper Expressen, the camp was “well organized,” had “lots of cozy tents and trailers,” and there was “no litter to be seen anywhere.” Also Aftonbladet commented: “You can see that this is not an ordinary camp. No litter. Not a single empty beer can. And​—no smoking.”

A staff member of the sports facilities used by Witness conventioners at Lisbon, Portugal, remarked: “When people ask me what I think of you, I can’t tell a lie. I tell them that Jehovah’s Witnesses have very good manners, cleanliness and organization. . . . if you happen to soil one thing, you clean 99!”

Conduct That Draws Commendation

Often mentioned in connection with cleanliness is general conduct. For example, the manager of the hall used by Witness conventioners in Helsinki, Finland, said: “We had a good opportunity to make comparisons when you last had a meeting here. There had been a pop concert the day before, and there was a lot of noise and many drunks. It was all very dirty. All your arrangements work surprisingly well . . . This is the largest crowd of people that has ever been in our hall at one time. We have seen many types of meetings here, but this is the best-behaved group.”

At Vienna, Austria, the administrator of the stadium used by Jehovah’s Witnesses found the teamwork within the convention administration to be “absolutely fantastic” and said that the conduct of the delegates was outstanding. Also, speaking frankly, one employee at the State Sport Center remarked: “Exemplary cleanliness is the order of the day among Jehovah’s Witnesses here. One should be prompted to follow their example. On the other hand, when our athletes take over here, they stumble over their own cigarette butts and the litter they leave behind.”

With reference to the international convention in Montreal, Quebec, an administrative official of the 1976 Olympic Games remarked: “Never in my life have I seen such a well-disciplined and well-organized convention. And mark my words, . . . I attend many conventions.” Similarly, the inspector of certain facilities used by the Witnesses at Copenhagen, Denmark, commented: “Many organizations have had events here, but none of them have shown anything comparable to what you do with regard to planning, order and cooperation with such a fine spirit.”

Following the convention at Copenhagen, a Witness employed by the telephone company was told by a superior living beside the assembly site: ‘I have never seen Idrætsparken so clean and decorated so attractively, or the parking problem solved so smoothly and elegantly. I have never seen so many persons assembled that were so neatly dressed and well groomed, and I have never seen so many people conduct themselves in such a well-disciplined, orderly and peaceful way.’