Noël Salter's was from an early age involved in social causes even from his time at University where he was involved in the Oxford Universtiy United Europe Movement. He was a fervent believer in the development of a"united states of Europe"as a means of eliminating the threat of war in Europe. Furthermore he committed himself to Europe's service in helping the developing world. He was a devoted Christian who in the 1950's worked at the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Geneva. In 1963 he took on the task of bring more professionalism to the British church's involvement in world affairs when he became Executive Secreatry of the Joint International Department of the British Council of Churches. In this position he was responsible for external relations with emphasis in Southern Africa, economic relations with the Third World, Southern Asis, positions of Commonwealth countries, nuclear questions, relations with the Eastern bloc countires and human rights issues.