1964-65 New York World's Fair Groundbreaking and Dedication Booklets

THE PAVILION
OF THE
REPUBLIC OF

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GROUNDBREAKING
AT THE NEW YORK WORLD'S FAIR 1964-1965

THE PAVILION OF THE REPUBLIC OF GUINEA

WILL CONSIST OF THREE STRUCTURES SURROUNDED
BY A CONTINUOUS MOAT. THE TWO SMALL HUTS WITH
SIMULATED GRASS ROOFING WILL REPRESENT
THE TRADITIONAL TYPE OF BUILDING SEEN IN GUINEA;

HERE NATIVE CRAFTSMEN WILL MAKE ITEMS TO BE
SOLD TO VISITORS. THE MAIN BUILDING WILL

HAVE A STAGE WHERE THE BALLET TROUPE OF GUINEA
WILL PERFORM. NOEL AND MILLER OF NEW YORK

ARE THE ARCHITECTS FOR THE PAVILION.

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Excerpts from transcription of remarks made by
officials of the Republic of Guinea and the
World's Fair at groundbreaking ceremonies for
the Pavilion of the Republic of Guinea. New
York World' i Fa/r, Thursday, July 18, 1963.

DR. ROBERTO DE MENDOZA [Deputy Chief of
Protocol] : Your Excellencies, Mr. Ambassador Designate,
Governor Poletti, distinguished guests, ladies and gentle-
men. This significant groundbreaking is one more evi-
dence of the imaginative, vigorous and enterprising spirit
of the young Republic of Guinea. The beautiful pavilion
which will rise from this ground will portray the life of
the people of Guinea and the attractions, the economy
and the natural resources of the country.

Before introducing the speakers I should like to have
the honor of presenting four eminent ladies who are
honoring us today with their presence on this important
occasion : Madame Bangoura, wife of the Ambassador of
Guinea to the United States; Madame Diallo Telli, wife
of the Ambassador of Guinea to the United Nations;

Madame Achkar Marof, wife of the Ambassador of the
Permanent Mission of Guinea to the United Nations ; and
Mrs. James Loeb, wife of the Ambassador Designate of
the United States to the Republic of Guinea.

Our first speaker was a Justice of the State Supreme
Court and a Lieutenant-Governor before being Governor
of the State of New York. It is my great pleasure to
present Governor Charles Poletti, vice president of the
International Division of the New York World's Fair
Corporation.

GOVERNOR CHARLES POLETTI: Thank you very
much, Ambassador De Mendoza. Ambassador Bangoura,
Ambassador Diallo Telli, Ambassador Loeb and distin-
guished and charming ladies. I'm very happy to be here on
this occasion. I think this is one of the most important
groundbreakings that we will have at the New York
World's Fair, not because of the size of the pavilion that
the Republic of Guinea will have, not because of the
amount of money that will be spent, but because it achieves
what we have worked so hard to accomplish: to bring here
to Flushing Meadow pavilions of a modest nature which
reflect the new countries, the new independent nations of
the world. And I'm very happy, as head of the Inter-
national Division, and speaking also for the Executive
Committee, that we're going to have the Republic of
Guinea in such an important corner on our Avenue of
Africa.

Americans, particularly young Americans, are vitally
interested in the continent of Africa. They are keenly

11963 New York World's Foir 1964-1965 Corporation

anxious to learn more about these new countries in Africa.

I'm delighted that we're going to have this Pavilion of
Guinea. It's going to be a wonderful pavilion, well de-
signed and it's going to have demonstrations by some
of the artisans of Guinea. Above all, it's going to portray
for the American people and the seventy million visitors
that will come here, the artistic qualities of the people of
Guinea, qualities that permit their being classified as ex-
ceptional in sculpture and in music and in dance. The
wonderful dancers of Guinea will be on view in the
pavilion and I think these will be an eye-opener to the
millions of American people that will come here.

We are happy also on this occasion to have Guinea
participate in this Fair, because Guinea represents a new
nation that's courageous, with lots of initiative and a desire
to achieve progress.

I think it's only fitting that, while we participate in this
occasion, we should remember that at the head of this
Republic is one of the great figures of the present-day
world. We had the great honor to meet His Excellency,
President Sekou Toure in Conakry, when we were there
to extend our official invitation, and Ambassador Diallo
Telli was gracious enough to present us to the President.
We explained to him about the World's Fair, and as a
demonstration of his decisive quality of mind he listened,
and then he said to me in French, "Tres bien. On y sera."
And here we are.

We again had the pleasure of meeting the President in
Riverdale. when he was here on a visit, and I wane to

express on behalf of myself and the New York World's
Fair our great pleasure that the President of Guinea has
seen fit to have a participation of his country. We express
to him our heartfelt gratitude as well as our admiration for
the achievements that he's already brought about for his
country, and we look forward with him to many, many
more accomplishments in the years to come.

In closing, I'd like to read something that your Presi-
dent said a couple of years ago. It was shortly after your
independence which is October 2nd, and we're looking
forward to celebrating October 2nd with you here at the
International Section of the World's Fair. I'd like to
recall to all of us what President Sekou Toure said at the
United Nations in November 1959, about a year after
Guinea acquired independence. The President said this:
"Populations which include more than 80% of illiterate
peasants with an annual individual income of less than
$100, and therefore with the most precarious conditions
of life, these are the harsh realities of Africa. It is no
longer masked behind the ridiculous veil of exoticism
which hides from unaware eyes the colossal misery of our
vast underdeveloped countries at present sparsely popu-
lated because of centuries of slavery. And yet in this
poverty of which humanity should be ashamed there is
man — with his invisible faith in the destiny of humanity.
There is his hope, his determination to win and to grow
— his immense spiritual brotherhood and harmony — his
kindness still in its purest form — and at the same time
his extraordinary energy and sharp sense of responsibility.

Shown in their very attractive traditional costumes

are: Madame Bangoura, wife of the Ambassador

of the Republic of Guinea to the

United States; Madame Diallo Telli, wife of

the Ambassador and Permanent Representative to

the United Nations; and Madame Achkar Mar of,

wife of the Ambassador of the Permanent

Mission of Guinea to the United Nations.

Breaking ground for the Pavilion of the

Republic of Guinea are: (left to right) Governor

Charles Poletti, vice president of

International Affairs and Exhibits, New York

World's Fair; His Excellency Karim Bangoura.

Ambassador of the Republic of Guinea to the

United Stales; and His Excellency A. Be la.

Ambassador of Guinea lo Morocco.

PAVILION FOR

THE REPUBLIC OF GUINEA

GENERAL COftll^^ICT

AUSERE

ARCHITECT

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STRUCTURA"

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ENGINEE ^
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PAVILION FOR

THE REPUBLIC OF GUINEA

GENERAL CONSTRUCTION

AUSEREHL^SON CON

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Governor Charles Poletti,

vice president in

charge of International

Affairs and Exhibits,

presenting World's Fair

medallion to His Excellency

Karim Bangoura,

Ambassador of the

Republic of Guinea to

the United States.

"There is also the incalculable amount of virtues and
values of almost 200,000,000 Africans, the tremendous
possibilities which this represents and the intellectual
potential which this may hold."

That concludes the quote from President Sekou Toure's
speech and I'm happy on this occasion, as a representative
of the New York World's Fair, to dedicate this Pavilion
of the Republic of Guinea. Thank you very much.

DR. DE MENDOZA: Thank you, Governor Poletti.
I should like now to present two brilliant diplomats who
are also honoring us this afternoon with their presence:
His Excellency A. Bela, Ambassador of Guinea to
Morocco ; The Honorable James Loeb, Ambassador Desig-
nate of the United States to the Republic of Guinea.

Our next speaker was a member of the Territorial
Assembly of Guinea from 1946 to 1957; Counselor at
the French Union Assembly from 1954 to 1958; Director

of the Guinea Press Agency in I960; and Chief of Staff
of the Ministry of Information and Tourism during 1961
and 1962 before being appointed Ambassador of Guinea
to the United States. I have the honor to present His
Excellency Karim Bangoura, Ambassador of the Republic
of Guinea to the United States, who is also Ambassador
to Canada and Ambassador Designate to Mexico —
Ambassador Bangoura.

HIS EXCELLENCY KARIM BANGOURA [Ambas-
sador of the Republic of Guinea to the United States] :
Excellencies, Governor Poletti, our dear friend Lionel
Harris, ladies and gentlemen. The Guinea family in the
United States of America is very happy to be present here
on this piece of land of the United States of America that
we shall consider, for the next two years, as an integral
part of the Republic of Guinea. Our feeling of satisfac-
tion is very profound and comes from the heart. This is
an occasion when we discover how many devoted, en-
thusiastic friends the Republic of Guinea has in the United
States. It is immensely comforting to see all of you here.
You may be assured that we shall be the faithful inter-
preters to the President of our beloved Republic, His
Excellency Ahmed Sekou Toure, and to all the people of
Guinea.

This event will be inscribed in history as a contribution
to strengthening universal harmony, to forging the bonds
of friendship, to furthering cooperation, to generating this
indispensable understanding for establishing peace, hap-
piness and justice in the world — the sort of world to

which we all aspire and toward which you work, without
perhaps, being aware of it.

Therefore, this ceremony today is an indication of the
simplicity, of the friendship and of the cooperation so
precious to our people — and we know, also so precious to
you and to your country, the United States of America.

Through its presence here, the Republic of Guinea has
no other aim than to confirm its strong desire always to
remain in the stream of universal progress. In agreeing
to our participation in the New York World's Fair, His
Excellency Ahmed Sekou Toure wished in fact to achieve
a symbol, but above all an act of faith.

Our wish, through our pavilion, is to set forth evidence
of the national unity of Guinea in creative work, under
the constant impulse of the initiative and imagination of
our people. It will be our modest contribution to this
great human endeavor to offer to the many visitors the
results of the various activities of our country — agricul-
tural, industrial, handicraft and art — produced in an
atmosphere of total independence, thanks to our refound
liberty.

Let me express, in the name of the Republic of Guinea
and of its President, heartf elt thanks to everyone who has
contributed to the realization of our project. Our thanks
are addressed most particularly to you, Governor Poletti ;
to our friend Lionel Harris; to the architects, Noel and
Miller; and to all those who have given us assurance by
their valuable cooperation, so that we can already see
the good results. I am sure the Pavilion of Guinea will

be, in view of this collaboration, attractive, lively and
interesting; it will also contribute to strengthening the
bonds of friendship and of cooperation between the Re-
public of Guinea and the United States.

Finally, it is my pleasure to greet The Honorable James
Loeb, the Ambassador Designate of the United States to
Guinea, and Madame Loeb, whose presence here today
expresses their great interest for our country where they
will be called to serve in a few weeks. But today, ladies
and gentlemen, we are only at the first step, and there
is much work to be done. I am happy to share with you
the pleasure of breaking ground today and, awaiting the
Guinea Pavilion, to leave this soil in the hands of the
architects, contractors and workmen.

In dosing this groundbreaking ceremony, I would also
like to mention an important contribution made by a
citizen of the Republic of Guinea, a citizen possessed of
great energy, a dynamic spirit and a profound sense of
patriotism and loyalty — the late Albert Constantin, who
was a schoolmate of Ambassador Bangoura. May I ask
you, Mr. Ambassador, to express to the widow of Mr.
Constantin, and to her son, the fact that the New York
World's Fair appreciates very much what Mr. Constantin
has done in connection with the participation of the Re-
public of Guinea at the Fair. As you have aptly put it,
Mr. Ambassador, this Fair will serve not only to increase
the understanding between the peoples of Guinea and
of the United States, but also between all the peoples of
Africa and of the United States.

PAVILION FOR THE REPUBLIC OF GUINEA

HIS EXCELLENCY KARIM BANGOURA, Ambassador of the Republic of Guinea to the United States
HIS EXCELLENCY DIALLO TELLI, Ambassador of the Republic of Guinea to the United Nations
MR. ABEL CAMARA, Commercial Attache', Embassy of the Republic of Guinea
NOEL & MILLER, Architects, New York
AUSEREHL & SON, Contractors, New York

NEW YORK
WORLD'S FAIR
1964-1965
CORPORATION
Flushing 52, N. Y.
Tel. 21 2- WF 4-1964

ROBERT MOSES, President

THOMAS J. DEEGAN, JR., Chairman of the Executive Committee

WILLIAM E. POTTER, Executive Vice President

CHARLES POLETTI, Vice President, International Affairs and Exhibits

STUART CONSTABLE, Vice President, Operations

WILLIAM BERNS, Vice President, Communications and Public Relations

ERWIN WITT, Comptroller

MARTIN STONE, Director of Industrial Section

GUY F. TOZZOLI, (Port of New York Authority) Transportation Section

ERNESTINE R. HAIG, Secretary of the Corporation and Assistant to the President

WILLIAM WHIPPLE, JR., Chief Engineer