Professor Detlev Bronk, President of the National Academy of Sciences, joins me in extending the Academy’s welcome to you—our friends and colleagues of many countries. We are grateful to you for having come so far to share with us your friendship and your knowledge.

Dr Bronk and I wish that we could adequately express the many special reasons why the friendly associations of international gatherings such as this give so much pleasure to American Scientists. It is in part because we Americans have so recently come from your native lands. The brothers of your fathers built our nation. Your ancestors are our ancestors too.

Another reason for a feeling of close association stems from the fact that our science has grown from seeds imported by our teachers who first studied in your lands. From the days of Franklin on, we have had a deep debt of gratitude for this friendly nurturing of our scientific education.

Dr Oort and Members of the International Astronomical Union:

On behalf of the President and the Regents of the University of California, I welcome you most cordially to our Berkeley campus. We are very pleased that you have elected to hold your second meeting in the United States after an interval of twenty-nine years. Your selection of this once remote site on the far western side of the North American continent is truly a gracious recognition on your part of the value of the contributions that the staff of the University of California has made to the advancement of astronomy and the sciences on which it depends to such an increasing degree.

The University of California is a relatively young institution. Less than a century ago, this plaza, in which we are gathered this morning, was an open field—a sunny spot on the long, grassy slope from the hills to the bay which was then unbroken except for scattered clusters of oaks and a few low buildings at the distant landing.

Mr Chairman, Ambassador Stevenson, Doctor Menzel, Regent McLaughlin, Representatives of our sister Scientific Unions, Ladies and Gentlemen:

It is a pleasure to open the second General Assembly which the International Astronomical Union is holding in America. It is a special privilege to be able to do this in California, to which astronomy owes so much of its development in this century. We are deeply indebted to the Government of the United States and the National Academy of Sciences for inviting us to their country and in particular for providing the means to enable us to hold so complete a meeting at such a large distance from Europe. I thank President Kennedy and the Governor of California for their messages of welcome. That you, Ambassador Stevenson, have come to Berkeley especially for this occasion to welcome us, is a source of particular gratitude. You may be assured that we astronomers will do all we can to make our small contribution to international understanding as perfect as possible.

On behalf of the Government of the United States, and of the American people, it is my duty and my privilege to express to all of you, the distinguished members of the International Astronomical Union, a most cordial welcome to this country.

In this gathering are learned scientists from every continent and latitude, from Australia to that ancient cradle of astronomy, Egypt. We heartily welcome you all to the United States. And since Moscow was the site of your most recent Assembly three years ago, it is my particular pleasure to greet the large and distinguished delegation which has come here from the Soviet Union.

For yours is a community of the mind—ordered by reason, united in the single pursuit of truth about the universe. We who try to keep the peace among unruly nations cannot help envying and admiring your unity and purity of purpose. Would that all of us at the United Nations could follow your example, would that all of us could unite to end cold war and conflict, and concentrate on the arts of peace and the wider enjoyment of the benefits of this age of unparalleled technical progress.

1. Official opening. The President spoke a few words of welcome to the Members of the Union, invited participants and their guests, and formally declared open the first session of the eleventh General Assembly of the Union.

2. Official interpreters. The General Secretary asked the General Assembly to approve of the appointment of the following six official interpreters:

from English to French: L. Houziaux and J.-C. Pecker

from French to English: D. S. Evans and S. D. Gossner

from Russian to English: A. G. Massevitch

from Russian to French: P. G. Kulikovsky

This was unanimously approved.

3. (b) Report of decisions taken by the Executive Committee. In opening the second, and final, session of the General Assembly the President said that this was a convenient opportunity to inform the General Assembly of various decisions taken by the Executive Committee during its meetings in Berkeley. These decisions do not require the formal approval of the General Assembly.

He announced that the Executive Committee had accepted the applications for membership from the following countries, with the adhering organizations as stated:

The President said that he was very happy to welcome these three countries to membership of the Union, and he noted with pleasure that representatives of two of the countries were present at the General Assembly.