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.