international community that are based on shared responsibility and solidarity with migrants and refugees. of the close cutting issues of the 20 30th agenda is gender perspective and the empowerment of women. in fulfilling the commitment reached at last year's meeting of global leaders for equality, mexico now has a stronger institutional framework. the national system for equality between women and men. this system is headed by mexico's president, thereby ensuring that the quality policy is unknown at the highest level and is reflected in the national governments various actions. a second area driven by a sense of urgency, mexico has adopted the paris agreement of climate change. a few days ago my country's

senate ratified that international treaty. candidate will be submitted tomorrow at the high-level meeting for its entry into force. forward, the priority is to have national mechanisms to coordinate, verify, and report on compliance with the commitment consumed under the agreement. today we are compelled to transform the way we live, produce, and the consume. we must bring economic development into harmony with social inclusion and development protection. when example is what -- one example is what my countries doing with energy reform, which includes a law of energy 2018, 25%, whereby in of its electricity will be generated using clean sources, bringing the total to 60% in

2040. similarly, at the regional level, the three nations of north america have committed to reducing our oil and gas sector's methane emissions year 2025.45% by the as part of mexico's global responsibility to the theronment, we will host 13th conference of the parties to the convention of biological diversity. this forum seeks to align actions to protect and preserve our natural reaches, with 80 targets in the 2030 agenda. by the same token, next year we will host the global platform for disaster risk reduction, which will assess the first two years of the framework and set

goals, mitigating risks for development. reaffirmedmexico has to embracingt peace in the world. the international community is concerned that countries plagued by armed conflict depend not only on security conditions, but also on respect for human rights. the premise of institutions and the rule of law and on their ability to foster inclusive development. fullyrosscutting vision coincides with the sustainable development goals. -- thus thes are goals are essential to preventing global and political crises, and will be essential in finding peaceful solutions to

the armed conflicts being experienced in various nations. the most recent example is the peace agreement with eastern columbia. mexico applauds its achievements, and will in solidarity, contributed to the payment of its goals. similarly, and in pursuit of reduced attention and greater understanding in our region, mexico repeats its calls for the lifting of economic trade and financial blockade imposed upon cuba. last, peace must be sustainable. therefore the means focusing efforts on -- the new paradigm means focusing efforts on preventing conflict through long-term approaches. we acknowledge that one of the greatest threats is the existence of nuclear weapons.

historically mexico has been a proponent and has strongly condemned nuclear tests. it will work to achieve a world that is free of this global threat. i would like to take this opportunity to recognize the that is axially that -- that his excellency ban ki-moon has been carrying out. mexico applauds his dedication. thanks to his vision and leadership in recent years, agreements of great importance for the future of the planet have been reached. this is no minor achievement, particularly if we consider the highly volatile and complex international context that he has had to face.

decades, the world has made great progress, including major improvements in the quality of the lives of millions of people. thatso, it is also true many societies are clearly dissatisfied with their current condition. divideuation creates a between citizens and their authorities, fueling mistrust and institutions, and heightened uncertainty about the future. in latin america for example, a survey indicates clear deterioration in public support for democracy. this is extremely grave. faced with this challenge, the world cannot fall into the trap of demagoguery or authoritarianism.

the only viable way ahead, the only true response to a demanding citizenry is democracy itself. the response must be more openness, more transparency, and better accountability. as a governments, we must be ane to listen and deal with increasingly well-informed citizenry that has more and more means of expressing opinions and participating in public affairs. social networks are enabling greater public participation, turning every individual into a potential agent for change. in this context, government must make greater efforts to better communicate with the societies we serve. achievementscize to recognize and explain to maps, to not about --

out the road ahead together. we must promote public debate, contrast ideas, and shoulder share responsibilities using the new communication technologies that are increasingly available and accessible to the entire population. let us make the recognition of our pluralism and ongoing dialogue the ideal tools for building in democracy, better future. the response to this disillusionment with democracy lies in democracy itself. all governments must foster societies that are increasingly inclusive and participatory, where all citizens enjoy the benefits of development. forward, we have a clearly defined roadmap based on the sustainable development goals.

these are very clear goals for overcoming poverty and ensuring equal opportunity, gender equity, equality, environment, and theon, justice, piece which all countries must focus our efforts. mexico reaffirms its strong commitment to democratic principles as the only path to achieving the sustainable development goal. thank you very much for your attention. [applause] >> on behalf of the general assembly, i would like to thank the president of the united mexican states for the statement it has made. may i request representatives to be seated while we briefed the

president. >> i have great pleasure in welcoming the premiere of the people's republic of china, is excellently li keqiang. i invite him to address the general assembly.

prem. keqiang: i believe that under your presidency, this session of the general assembly will make good progress on its agenda. i also appreciate the effective of the lastident session of the human general assembly -- u.n. general assembly. i want to pay tribute to general ban ki-moon, who has modesty and a drive for harmony and inclusiveness, and worked diligently in a down-to-earth manner over the past decade, and whose work contributed to world peace, sustainable development, and the protection of human rights in the world. n.ar colleagues, the u. sustainable development summit agenda forthe 2030

sustainable development opened a new vision for global development. at the summit, chinese president xi jinping gave a speech win-win partnership for sustainable development." and right here, he expounded on it china's principles and positions. the first years that. implementation of iss year's general debates the sustainable development goals in a universal push to transform our world cannot be more relevant. on behalf of the chinese government, i want to state that in sustainable development

agenda, china has taken actions. first, one of the first to submit to the united nations the national plan on the implementation of the agenda. sustainable development is first and foremost about development. and development underpins every human achievement. without development, nothing can be sustainable. often the root of many of -- black of development is often the root of many of the -- lackroblems, be it of development. it can contribute to intimate development. none of them can be resolved properly without development. guaranteeopment can

people's fundamental rights and interests. only development can root out the causes of global challenges. and only development can evil human civilization -- can evolve human civilization and progress. of course, development must be sustainable in all dimensions. otherwise, development will be stalled, growth will be stalled and held back. development won't be sustainable. it is imbalanced, unequal and widens the gap between the north and the south, and the rich and the poor. development will not be sustainable if it is expensive, driven by high consumption, pollution, and emissions, and strains the environment. development will not be sustainable economic growth and

social progress are not well coordinated. profound we keep a understanding of the capability may all around progress in poverty reduction, north-south corporation in climate change, on many of the funds on promote -- on many of the fronts and promote equal sharing can we ensure that development will hold the ground and to be sustainable. sustainable development must be inclusive and interconnected. endeavor development is slated with great challenges. regional conflicts and hotspots are insistent. national interests intertwine. world economic recovery remains new lukewarm. globalization faces strong headwinds, as momentum for

sustainable development is weak. there is a frequent occurrence of major defections and not for disasters, and issues of major energy resources and economic security intertwined. sustainable development is an uphill battle. a call for stronger competence. and thehas the wisdom ability to find a way out. for that to happen, there must be cooperation and a spirit of working together to fight over difficulties. it is time that the international community take on a new perspective to see itself as a community of shared future and interconnected interest. making concerted efforts to tackle local challenges. to build sustainable development we must keep short-term and long-term interests in mind and make concrete efforts to tackle challenges. transform and change

our world and to achieve our new vision. we are ready to and we must uphold the purpose of the u.n. charter. without peace and stability, there will be no sustainable development. all of the fruits already earned risk being lost. the prevailing's over the past 70 years testify to international order created from the u.n. charter. these must be resolutely upheld. this serves the common interest of people of all countries and provides the most essential guarantee for achieving sustainable development. observetries need to the u.n. charter, support the leading roles of the u.n. and security council in global affairs, support reforming and

improving global governance to reflect the changes in international, political, and economic landscapes. a new concept of apprehensive cooperative security should be nurtured. as a global partnership established features dialogue instead of confrontation and partnership instead of alliance. we must perceive political solution to solve issues. political solutions are the fundamental way out. history has shown once and again that to repress violence with force can only lead to more hatred and warfare, from which no winner will be emerge. parties involved in conflict must renounce the zero-sum mentality, address differences through consultation, and seek reconciliation with tolerance.

the international community must be fair and impartial. it should only facilitate, not invite new problems. on syria, we must remain the levels solutions -- the international community should encourage syria to end fighting and reach competence of -- reach comprehensive solutions. toshould commit denuclearization of the korean peninsula and seek consultation and dialogue towards a solution so as to maintain international nuclear nonproliferation regime. terrorism is a common enemy of mankind and must be combated readily. at the same time the most entries should not be applied -- at the same time double standard should not be applied. terrorism should not be linked with certain countries, races, or religions. affordld economy cannot

sluggishness as we see now. otherwise sustainable development will be counting without origin. the current world economy is faced with insufficient and both prominent structural conflict. variousto employee effective policy instruments in a holistic way, and combined sideement with supply reform and short-term policy with long-term policy. we call on all countries to make a concerted effort to drive the global economy along the route of strong sustainable balance, and inclusive growth. given their significant influence, major economies need to conduct responsible policymaking and coordinate macroeconomic policy while considering their own growth. they need to strive to reduce negative spillovers and restrained from adding to the

weakness of global recovery. economic globalization represented by trey said -- represented by trade and liberalization has grown of the decade, still there exists no panacea in the world. globalization has taken its toll on some industries and communities of certain countries to a certain extent. active measures need to be taken to address the problem. but it's always important to keep in mind the bigger picture. instead of having our eyes on the smaller status only. withlization is in line the long-term interest of all countries. protectionism of all forms from leopold the open trade regime represented by wto, and promote the sustained and suspended development of globalization

with a win-win equation. we must redouble efforts towards level challenges. your attention and more support should be given to speed of industrialization in african nations, and eliminate poverty and hunger so that more people will lead a life of decency. more needs to be done to create an international environment that reduces inequality and imbalance. international institutions should spend new resources on developing countries on a priority basis. developed countries should make good on their ota commitments. developing countries need to and finddevelopment those suited to the national conditions. the world is facing the largest energy crisis since world war ii -- largest refugee crisis since

world war ii. a more fundamental solutions lies in rooting out the causes of warfare and renewed development. source countries can be on a path toward enduring peace and prosperity. countries need to stay committed to common responsibilities, equity, and respected capability. tackling climate change in working for the paris agreement to the exception universally. developed countries need to play a leading role, deliver on helpal promises, -- and developing countries improve capability on medication and adaptation. the economy has maintained rapid growth, becoming the world's second-largest economy in 2010. reached chinese economy

10 trillion u.s. dollars. a measurement for development overrules global complexity and long accumulated the mystic underlying issues. china has relied on innovation to maintain a medium high growth rate and accelerated reform transformations and upgrading. in the first half this year the graduate was 6.7% -- the growth rate was 6.7%, among the fastest in modern economies. million jobs were added every year. in the first eight months of , 9.5 million new jobs were created. every one percentage point of growth now equals several percentage points of growth before. the yearly economics increment is tantamount to the growth of

the middle income. contribution to the world -- china now contribute still around 30% to world economic growth. we are soberly minded about china remains a developing country. there is a long ways to go before china achieves modernization. we continue to give priority to development and to pursue comprehensive social and economic growth, maintain medium-high speed economic growth and moved to the medium high level of development. china will promote development through reform. form is key to our previous achievements in the relevant, and the same will be true for the future. we will promote development through expanding, opening up. china's experience in the past decade proves a closed-door house the only leads to

backwardness. is opening up brings development and prosperity. china will be firm in the wayward strategy of opening up. china will open a store water to the outside world. -- will open its doors wider to the outside world. world suffering has made china's people cherish peace even more. towards the path of peaceful development, china will pursue friendship and cooperation with all countries on a basis of the five principles of peaceful coexistence. china also maintains that maritime interests should be resolved through dialogue and negotiations. we should expand common ground while showing differences and make continuous concretions to regional peace and stability. china has worked for the

peaceful settlement of issues. and at the u.n. meetings this time, china has made it clear 300 million provide u.s. dollars of humanitarian assistance to relevant countries and international organizations. and also other developed countries, china -- underdeveloped countries, china will provide assistance on all grounds. china is a developing country with 1.3 billion population. we need to run our own affairs well, and at the same time undertake our own due international responsibility. by the end of 2015, china provided a total of over 400 over 166uan to 12ntries and provided

million and various sectors in developing countries. china will strengthen cooperation with developing countries and do what is possible to help african countries. china will only increase its support and assistance with other countries as our economy grows. we stand ready to work with all countries to achieve common development and prosperity. to support sustainable development and the international corporation in relevant fields, china will increase its annual contributions to you and u.n.opment agencies -- to development agencies by $100 million by 2020. that'ss a country honesty is worth by actions. we will channel our words into actions. dear colleagues, it is our common task to achieve sustainable development. to transform and change our

world and to make the world a better place is the shared aspiration of all of us. china stands ready to work with the other members of the international community to build a world free from want, and they world of development and dignity. thank you. [applause] [applause] >> on behalf of the general assembly, at the honor of welcoming to the united nations his excellency mr. recep tayyip

erdogan, president of the republic of turkey, inviting him to address the assembly. >> distinguished president, distinguished secretary general, esteemed head of states and ,overnments, valuable delegates i agree you on behalf of my personal self, my country and my nation. respect, i hope that this session of the un's general assembly will succeed in to purposes and lead favorable results for all countries and nations.

i would like to take this opportunity to congratulate his excellency for taking over the his --ncy and i think think for his work during his presidency and wish him luck in his future endeavors. i also would like to thank his excellency ban ki-moon for his valuable contributions as he will leave behind a tenure here at the un's secretary-general which he served during a time of global challenges. distinguished president, esteemed delegates come up within the first quarter of the 21st century, mankind has achievementseak in in science, technology, development and health. however, this brilliant picture had a dark face. syria, iraq, many countries

which are suffering in the grips of terrorism and for -- war all around the world, hundreds of thousands of children, women, killed.d elderly get refugees running away from death and irony and oppression face degrading treatment in many european cities. terrorist organizations such as ypd continued their a tax in the region. -- attacks in the region. there is a potential that the district and caucasus may unfold many problems from yemen to ukraine are of particular urgency. on the other side, people in many countries of the world struggle with hunger, academics,

poverty and illiteracy. this is a disgraceful picture damaging to human dignity and it is disturbing the human conscience. what is more distressing, many of these crises and problems can easily be resolved. prosperity and security of our future generations depends on the steps and measures that we shall take today. nigh time toe -- show leadership to address the problems. distinguished president, esteemed delegates, today terrorist organizations can .mploy various methods on the night of july the 15th,

we, turkey, were exposed to malicious coup attempt initiated by a harris organization. -- terrorist organization. the murdered 241 citizens. 2194njured 2000 194 -- people. presidentialt, complex, and many units of our security organizations were bombed by the terrorist organization using fighter jets. tanks rolled over the streets as well over the people. helicopters and military vehicles opened fire on civilians. this attempt was successfully ,epelled by our nation protecting our democracy, government, freedom, future and constitutional order.

i take pride in my nation as my nation defeated this coup attempt by risking the period of 29r a days, they never abandoned the squares of turkey and they were on duty to protect our democracy. fronthrew their bodies in of the tanks and repelled the cool attempt -- coup attempt. i stand here today before you think to our nations stance and noble stance. it should never be forgotten that the failed attempt was aimed at the global democracy as well. taught a historical lesson to those intending to plot coup attempt and became a

source of inspiration for all nations committed to the protection of democracy. is indeed aeration national security threat not only for turkey, but also for the 170 countries around the world where it is present. in other words, today, the majority of the country is represented in the general assembly is currently under the threat of this claim to stein structure. iss terrorist organization wanting to subdue the whole world. the basic strategy of the iteris organization is infiltrating the state institutions, influencing the society and dominating the of education,rces dialogue, television and nongovernmental organizations. from this podium, i would like to call upon all of our friends to take the necessary measures

against the terrorist organizations in their own countries for the future of their own people and well-being. experiencent by the that if you do not fight against them now, tomorrow might be too late. on this occasion, i would also like to stay -- say that the after reasons used by the terrorist organization and people associated henceforth have no association with turkey whatsoever. mr. president, the community and itses in syria has reached sixth year. 600,000 people have reportedly lost their lives. 12 million people have had to leave their country, mother lens. refuge inhave found

other countries. refugeeson of those are currently in my country. they were forced to leave behind their homes and those syrians were welcomed. we never asked why they and up in turkey, our doors are wide open. we have not shut their doors -- our doors on their faces because they were fleeing fighter jets and barrel bombs. for these people, we had to assume our response abilities and serve what was expected of us. the rest of the world may not, but we will keep on admitting them and because we are human suchs and in the face of atrocity, we are obliged to keep our doors open to all of those fleeing tire any and oppression.

and keepur doors open opening our doors in the future. the international currency has remained in different. the numbers that we pronounce are in return representative of the human person. human people are being exhausted in the grip of proxy wars which have been shipped by a cruel administration. competition.gional in this process, the international community failed in the humanitarian values. expect $12.5we billion for the refugees along with the ngo's, the number

reaches to $500 billion in total. what have -- united nations under the roof of which we are present has only received $525 million in aid. nothing else. have we received anything from the eu? they made to the promises but they were not kept. it allocated $178 million to unicef. that is it. we have not directly received any aid whatsoever. since the beginning of the conflict. we claim that this was a question for the rest of the world. closee been establishing contacts of solidarity with international and global figures.

the syrians are our neighbors, brothers and sisters and we could -- the face of such tragedy and cartage -- carnage. we have never remained silent. 2.7 million refugees are currently being housed in our country and 300,000 iraqis are living in turkey. 3 million refugees have never been subjected to any ethnic or religious discrimination whatsoever. we have open our arms wide. the tent cities or container cities where we accommodate the refugees, we will keep on providing all forms of support within our capabilities. primarily the eu and all the other organizations that have pledged financial support expected to rise up to the occasion. we expect them to keep their promises. , we expect them to keep pray promises, i hope and

that the 71st general assembly will convey this voice quite loudly to the rest of the world. the contribution of the international community shall not be confined to $525 million. what do you think? from this podium, i would like to call upon rest of the world and i would like to call out to all of my european friends to believe that syrian refugees are a clear danger for them. the barbed wires and high walls will never provide your with the safety and security and peace of mind. it is an effort in vain. the syrian refugees and their problems to be solved immediately as once and for all. we will never be able to prevent

the irregular migration and social issues embedded within the problem. we cannot lose any more time determining the conflict with other direct sources of the problems. limitationntual and of a political settlement process. we have had such great significance to the unityl unity of syria -- of syria, with regard to the territory of syria, syria belongs to the syrian people. nobody should ever have any plans whatsoever about the syrian territory. starting with our support for the syrian opposition. the crucial significance for the

reestablishment and peace and prosperity in the region of despair. it is obvious that with the separation, the priority of iteris organization is not fighting daesh. this has increased the self-confidence of the moderate opposition group. further than that, this developing has encouraged local -- as you areo probably aware, for a very long time, i have appealed for the declaration of a safe zone along our borders with our -- with syria which is longer than 900 kilometers. we have the longest border with syria. from these borders, turkey is continuously under threat. we are very patient.

however, on august the 24th, -- a wedding party was attacked by bomber.r-old suicide a young boy. he was sent there by the daesh terrorists. after the blast, 66 people were killed and more than 100 civilians injured. patient until that pinnacle moment. that was the time when we said enough is enough. and with the moderate opposition , we initiated this offensive we have quite the way -- wiped away daesh and extended our operations. the local inhabitants were really have old -- resettled.

region was saved from becoming the belt of terrorism. it was converted into a belt of peace. the operations we are conducting have the eventual goal of protecting this safe zone. and make this zone actually a safe zone. terroristse group of and they have the confidence to go back to their homes. the electricity and water infrastructure will be rendered operational immediately. the turkish red crescent, medicare and aid association have mobilized to give abilities to meet the needs of the local inhabitants. all the social facilities which can also be used by the local inhabitants will be constructed in the near future. in order for that to be possible, the safe zones should

also be declared as no-fly zones and we have to have a very firm aance so that a flip -- no-fly zone will be awful for protection and security. unfortunately, the cease-fire to which we have invested heavily has failed. as you can clearly see, peace buyer is no longer possible. yesterday, the united nations convoy was attacked by the forces of the regime of which one person died and multiple people got injured. the syrian regime has not allowed assistance under the supervision of the united states to reach the people of aleppo who are in dire need. they are attacking the idmanitarian cade -- a convoys. toourage and suffering

surrender or die. united nations and security council should no longer tolerate the regime's policy. distinguished resident, esteemed delegates, in iraq, it is clear that it will not be easy to establish a political system which will effectively protect ethnic and sectarian diversity comprising the greatest underlying force of this country . within this context, the operation should be conducted by taking into concentration the sensitivities of the people. a new humanitarian crisis will emerge leading to an influx of yet another million to seek refuge in other countries. we cannot leave the iraqi people alone in this critical time where any international support or than ever. liveing to tell people to

-- the palestine people to live they started to state solution is an obligation of the international community toward the palestinians. if not for anything else, especially israel should respect the sanctity of cap amount -- and put an end to the violations beside the -- through the status. we would try to benefit from the normalized relations with israel to facilitate the peace process and sell the challenges that they face. within this correction, we will continue our efforts to send humanitarian assistance to the gaza strip. this briefing to a very important point, the world humanitarian summit was held in the month of may in turkey for the first time in history.

we consider the summit as an important opportunity to explore new ways of more effective crisis intervention around the world. i would like to be very clear in my remarks, in terms of providing support to the people around the world, turkey, u.k., america pride month the top three. compared to the mentoring a to gdp ratio, turkey ranks number one. humanitarian aid to gdp ratio, turkey ranks number one. we are doing everything within a capability to stop irregular .igration upon the initiative of turkey, the subject of syrian refugees was handled in the general assembly last year for the first time. similarly, migration and terrorism were incorporated with

the g20 agenda thanks to the efforts invested by turkey. we are in cooperation with you through the refugee crisis. with an eventual goal of preventing deaths occurring in the aegean sea. we reduced the number of regular migration to 50 which was 7000 per day in october of 2015. this shows that turkey has successfully that filled her commitments within the framework of the refugee agreement with the eu. however, we regret that the promises made by eu within the framework of the agreement have someforgotten and artificial pretext are being created. all we hear are excuses and nothing else.

distinguished president, esteemed guests, united nations security council should be reformed in order to render peacekeeping and peacemaking activities more effective. we fully appreciate the steps taken for by secretary-general ban ki-moon. addition, unless the security council, which is the main instrument responsible for thatg this reform, sees this will be in thing. -- vain. not to fund their full capacity, that is why we think that the world is greater than five. this is something we remind international community over and over again with every chance that we get. in the aftermath of the first world war, the security council was formed.

you cannot preserve the same structure under the circumstances of the modern times. you cannot condemn the fate of therest of the world within lips of these five countries represented within the security council. five permanency holders. this is not a secure to counsel. security council that does not represent the entire world can never serve to reestablish peace and justice around the world. this is something we need to revisit over and over again. in europe, one country in asia, one country, the united states, five countries as permanent holders. what about the rest of the world? we put them aside. we ignore them.

that 20 we claimed countries, they should be within the security council. they will all be permanent seat holders on a rotational basis every two years. these countries can occupy different suits and all of those countries will be represented within the security council in a rental manner. this is the only way to establish fairness and justice once and for all. the representative nature of the security councils should be established so that the security council will be much more effective, much more just and fair. in order for that to be possible, the general assembly has to reach the utmost consensus. please do not consider remaining silent or else we can't achieve anything. we can't succeed in our policies, we have to have a spine. we have to be strong. we have to stand on her two feet and talk about the truth and nothing else.

we have to stand behind the truth. we are the politicians. worldhrough that can the achieve the level of justice that she earns four. this is the only way to get democracy going. islamophobia is the alternative name to racism and discrimination. it is important for a country with a vast majority of muslims. ago, with the ben prime minister of spain, we cochaired the initiative of the alliance of civilizations which sought for finding permanent .olutions to such dangers grasp at the interest of the nation for peace initiative that we have pioneered in 2010 under the roof of the au and -- the u.n..

the 2030 agenda for sustainable development that we have join tly created has ambitious goals. the development assistance can present the most important resources supporting the development of especially the least developed countries around the world. turkey's official told them it's developing-- assistance has reached 300 $9 billion. gdp is the ratio to humanitarian aid that we provide is beyond the oecd average and help us approach the u.n. target of 0.7%. as turkey, we have surpassed our commitment to provide $200 million annually in 2011 and delivered more than $1.5 billion

lbc's.ees -- i hope and pray that the 71st general assembly will be a beckoning of a new age to relieve the suffering of people around the world and it will help us change our world. i would like to greet you all on behalf of my personal self and my nation. may you all live in peace and prosperity. [applause] >> on behalf of the general; it was to think the president of the republic of turkey. may i request presented to remain seated by we greet the president. as we greet the president. >> tonight, michelle obama and

former first lady talk about their support for u.s. service members, veterans and their families. we'll have that at 8:00 p.m. eastern on our opinion network, c-span2. the smithsonian national museum of african american history and culture opens its doors to the public for the first time on saturday. c-span will be live from the national mall starting at 10 a clock in houston for the outdoor dedication family. speakers include president obama and founding museum director lonnie bunch. watch the open directory -- opening ceremony live on saturday at 10:00 a.m. eastern. watch live anytime on c-span.org and listen live on the c-span radio app. our c-span 2015 buses in ohio this weekend asking students and voters which candidate they support and why. freshman here at ohio

northern. this campaign i will support gary johnson more so because the other candidates i can't trust. both of them are poor options and gary johnson is the only sane candidate up on the stage. amid political science senior at ohio northern. i'm in the political science honor society did i will support hillary clinton. i believe she is the most qualified. she believes in the same things that i believe and i think she is running on a more unified platform. >> i'm from ohio northern. i'm supporting donald trump for president. i believe that donald trump is the best candidate for us because he provides the most sound policies on national security, will turn our economy around and make is good again. >> i'm voting for gary johnson

because not only does he try to understand important issues to be will my age, but i also agree with a lot of his policies. >> voices from the road on c-span. when lawmakers return to capitol hill, they will have another item other agenda. overriding 82 of 9/11 legislation. we spoke to a capitol hill reporter for more details. obama has vetoed a to suelowing families saudi arabia. go over this measure briefly. what would it have done? >> it allows victims of terror attacks that happen on u.s. soil to hold government liable if they are found to be responsible. in a short way, that allows

victims and family members of victims of the september 11 2001 attack to sue the government of saudi arabia for any alleged role. the legislation does not name saudi arabia. it is not targeted at them. but that is what this fight has been about because they are clearly and suddenly been the major focus. >> why does the white house say it is opposed to this measure? >> a litany of reasons have been listed off. and the last several months of why the president opposes the bill. short, the veto message that the president gave to congress, a lot of it has to do with the fact that they believe u.s. officials, whether our military or diplomatic or other government officials, to face similar retaliation. that is one of the big concerns. they arethat attracting private litigation and courts into a domain that should be left for national

security experts and the administration that is begged the canadian. designating -- designating a country as a state sponsor of terror. we will see if that resonates with congress. >> who actually agrees with or supports this measure? whether congress or on the campaign trail. popularis a wildly bill. it passed both the house and senate unanimously. there was never recorded vote. it was voice voted in the house and senate. a handful of people had voiced some concerns about the bill as it was working its way through congress speaker ryan, he said he had some concerns. it was overweight by the popularity of the bill. you had senator chuck schumer from new york, senator john cornyn from texas, too powerful

senators in their parties and the 9/11 families have been influential and powerful. have all 535 people saying they support this. whether that translates into a unanimous override is yet to be seen. >> what is the possible clinical pullout if this does come back if congress decides they will override this? especially members facing election. >>'s has not been an electoral issue. i think the fact that in the senate you are looking at a lot of republicans who are running for reelection. i don't think they would have an overriding the-- beta. it is a popular piece of legislation. almost all corners of congress. canmembers who have shown discern -- concern like dianne

lindseyn and senator graham and bob corker, they said they are concerned with the applications but none of them are up for reelection. the broader political issue is that congress is sending to president obama in the final month of his presidency, it will inthe first veto override president obama's eight years as president. does. issued 12 he this would be the first. -- vetoes. this would be the first. >> what happens next? >> people are very confident that the details will be overridden. chuck schumer said as much in his statement and his reaction to the theater. what happens next is the legislation, the senate will take up the override first. the legislation written by andon and -- senator cornyn

schumer started there. they will take the boat before they leave for washington to campaign in november. i could be the coming week. littlethe senate to be a busy with a continuing resolution to fund the government. laterwe can squeeze it in or they will have to come back the week after that. the schedule is still unclear. as long as it gets more than 67 votes that you need in the senate to sustain an override of the veto, then it goes to the leaders, they have indicated an override being successful being inevitable. >> the 9/11 lawsuits bill. you can follow her and her writing at politico.com. thank you so much.

>> thank you. >> one and version republicans not to override the veto, mac thornberry. chair of the armed services committee and warned that the bill could put american military and intelligence and diplomatic personal at risk of attribute of lawsuits. as touching as it may be to veto -- tempting as it may be to override the veto, please take a moment to study the consequences of the justice against sponsors terrorism act. this would increase the risk to our military and other personnel around the world. i must oppose it. as we just heard, saying that the senate will remain in session at least until the override veto is done. aesident obama also hosted reception at the white house along with the first lady on the eve of the opening of the new exam, the smithsonian african-american history and culture is him on the national mall and we will show you his

remarks. first we hear from the founding director of the museum. lonnie bunch. [applause] >> i've never got a chance to say this, welcome to the white house. [applause] thank president and mrs. obama for having us here at the white house to celebrate what i think is something that we will all remember. the chance to finally create on the national mall a museum that will help us all remember the rich history of the african-american community and i want to thank all of you because you're given a gift to america. i want to thank you for the support. [applause] >> welcome, everybody. [cheers]

this is an exceptionally good-looking group. there are just so many friends like one of feels our house parties. [laughter] there is no dancing this afternoon. here just to acknowledge what the next ordinary achievement has been a conflict -- accomplished by mr. lonnie bunch. [applause] and everybody who helped make this day possible. to talk about lonnie for a second. when he first came here from chicago to start -- [laughter] to start working on this museum and decade ago, he cannot find somebody to give him a key to his office.

[laughter] nobody had heard of this museum. now you cannot miss it. buildingthtaking new right in the heart of the national mall. that is what we call progress. it could not have been done without the persistence, the , them, the dedication savvy, the ability to make people feel guilty -- [laughter] , dealmaking, and the general streetsmarts of lonnie. and his entire team. give him a big round of applause. [cheers] of course, this is also about

more than lonnie. this is about people who for more than a century advocated and organized and raised funds and donated artifacts so that the story of the african-american experience could take its rightful place in our national memory. tragedythat is full of joysetbacks but also great and great victories. is not justy that part of the past, but it is alive and well today. that is true today in this house. byouse that was built slaves.

i cannot name everybody that is here. i'm going to have to give you a taste. this room is like a living museum of its own. tucson would be very jealous. [laughter] we have icons of the entertainment industry likely to jones. and the gregory. we have the first black woman in space. [cheers] ownse have the woman who the universe, over winter -- oprah winfrey. [cheers] we have those drum majors for justice like john lewis and andrew young. [cheers] and jesse jackson. generation ofxt

orders for justice. for justice. and we have personal heroes of might like harry belafonte. [cheers] who still is the best looking man in the room. i'm just telling the truth. [laughter] this is the next ordinary group. extraordinary group. the thing about this museum is it is moreabout -- than just telling stories. it is not just about the icons. space forlenty of harriet tubman, dr. king and mohammed ali. what makes the museum so powerful and visceral is that it is the story of all of us.

the folks whose names he never heard of. whosentributions -- contributions day after day, decade after decade, combined to push us forward and entire nation forward. tiredids who decided i'm of segregation and am going to walk for my freedom. porters who not only works tirelessly to support their families, but ultimately helped bring about the organization that lead to better working conditions for all americans here in the united states. moms andut grandparents and uncles and aunts who just did the right thing. families. great

dignityassaults on the of every single day. you see it in the dignity of the artifacts in the museum. enslavedty of families, what must have been like to live in a tiny cabin. the slaves who dared to marry even though was illegal for them to do so. folks were forced to sit in the back of a train and 20 about their business anyway. and tried to instill in their children that this is not who we are. there's going to be more someday. womene it in the men and who rushed to the war front to secure all of our freedom understanding that when they came home they might not yet be free. past angrys who walk crowd to integrate our schools. humblingies hiding --

-- huddling around the bible. the quiet, determined dignity and hope. somebody inre has mind when we think of those kinds of folks who could not make it to this room but who stories are our stories. are represented at this busy. it might be an ancestor to rank your freedom or aunt and uncle who pushed back against jim crow. or satin or light be shown people organizing against cynicism today. cannotnt is, all of us forget that the only reason we somebodyis because somewhere stood up for us. stood up when it was risky so

that when it was not popular -- somehow standing up together managed to change the world. the timing of this is fascinating. [applause] [cheers] in some anyways, it is the best of times. in many ways, these are also troubled times. history does not always move in a straight line. vigilance, we can go backwards as well as forwards. reason that i'm so happy that the museum's opening this weekend is because it allows all of us as americans to

circumstances in a historical context. hope is that as people are saying what happened in tulsa or andlotte on television perhaps are less familiar with the history of the african-american experience but also how recent some of these challenges have been upon visiting a museum, may step back and say, i understand. i sympathize. i empathize. i can see why folks might feel angry and i want to be part of the solution as opposed to

resisting change. that black folks watching the same images on seeing theand then history of represented at this theum can say to themselves struggles we are going through today are connected to the past and yet, a look that progress we have made tells me that i cannot and will not sink into despair. if we join hands and if we do things right, if we maintain our dignity and we continue to appeal to the better angels of this nation, progress will be made. [cheers] [applause]

i was by showing -- telling michelle, 10 letters a day from constituents and it is a great on for me to keep a pulse how folks other than the pundits on cable tv are thinking. [laughter] it is a representative group because sometimes people say, we love you and we especially love michelle. [laughter] and you are doing such a great job. thank you. and then there are others who write and say, mr. president, you are an idiot. you've ruined the country. so i know i'm getting a real sampling. [laughter] last night as i was reading through the letters, i would say about half of them said, mr.

--sident, why do you always are you always against police? why are you not doing enough to deal with these rioters? lactose, half were while you not doing something folks,he police -- black why are you not been something about the police? when are we going to get justice? thaterstand the nature of this is theause dialogue we been having for 400 years. and the fact of the matter is one of the challenges we

have in generating a constructive discussion about how to solve these problems is because what people see on television and what they hear on the radio is bereft of context and ignores history. responding as if none of what is represented in this museum happened. that is true for all of us. not just some of us. children, white, wanderingino, asians, through the museum, sitting at imaginingcounter, what it would be like to stand , and alsotion block

o'neal'st shaquille shoes. [laughter] and chuck berry's red x. cadillac. my hope is that this complicated, difficult, i believeharrowing -- , ultimately, triumphant story will help us talk to each other. more important, listen to each other. even more important, see each other. recognize the common america what makes

it is. [applause] that is a lot of weight to put on one institution. i have note and taken -- michelle's mom and our daughters to see it, we feel justdent that it will not meet expectations, but far exceed them. it would not have happened without all of you. you should be very proud. congratulations. god bless you. [applause] [cheers]

>> now, a press preview of the smithsonian national museum of african american history and culture. we will hear remarks by founder, lonnie bunch of the smithsonian. this is about 25 minutes. [applause]

>> good morning and welcome. what a crowd. we are delighted to have you here and the have good reason to believe that when you spend some time here, you will say that you have been delighted to be in the sacred place. you probably thought we brought you here to work. i wanted to drop that thought right now. we did not bring you here to work, we brought you here to be moved. and to show you the things that will move your readers and listeners to be similarly moved. good morning, again. i'm from the office of public affairs and delighted to have worked with so many of you for so many years. i see so many familiar faces of people who have been with us since day one, even before day

one. we had a construction -- before we had nearly 40,000 collection items. you have been with us on a magnificent journey and we appreciate your company. our journey has been made much leader, because of a secretary of the smithsonian institution. gifts.ith extraordinary we have come to not just admire but to count on his wisdom, compassion and, it doesn't hurt that this man has a wicked sense of humor and he plays a mean jazz flute and saxophone. the 13thlcome, secretary of the smithsonian institution, dr. to david j j scorte -- dr. david

n. [applause] >> it is a pleasure to welcome so many journalists and writers and producers and photographers today. 10 days from this day, when this extraordinary museum is dedicated by president obama, our country will have the opportunity to gain a fuller understanding of what it means to be an american. this museum explores our national identity through particular lens reflecting the life expenses over time of african-americans. illustrateds through artifacts and works of art. determination, innovation and leadership, comprising eloquent and powerful narrative central to our national identity.

establish an institution devoted to african-american history was first suggested by black civil war veterans a century ago. proposed aert hoover building memorializing african-american contributions to history and science. it had to await the 21st century before plants started to actually take shape. in 2003, congress passed legislation to make the museum a reality as part of the smithsonian family. we are grateful to president obama and to congress for providing ongoing support and establishing the museum's counsel which has offered guidance and encouragement over the months and years it took to get to this day. comes at ark significant time in history for the smithsonian and for our

country. advance thele us to democratic mandate to increase and diffuse knowledge and more eloquent and far-reaching ways within our founding benefactor could ever have imagined. uniquelysonian is a american institution comprising 19 museums, established at key points in our 170 year history. the inauguration of our newest museum occurs as race and cultural differences dominate the national discourse. this museum can be an ideal gathering place to learn, hold conversations, be inspired and be uplifted. the missoni and can and should -- smithsonian can and should provide a forum for discussions

relative to the mission. especially when these can shine a light on the history and culture of the public we serve. this is true of the national museum of african american history and culture and it is true of all of the other museums , research centers and education initiatives. museums in the 21st century are dynamic learning experiences that use the power of art and ,rtifacts to evoke feeling teach and energize people. at a time of great cynicism and distrust of so many establishments, of the press, and even of government, libraries and museums remain among the most trusted sources of information in our country. frequently, i visited our museums on my own without my id badge as another visitor to the exhibits. you could actually see people

appear to change, especially explore ine, as the exhibition. museums have the capacity to touch lives and transform the way people see the world and interact with each other. the museum of the smithsonian are all working to assure the treasures we care for in thought-provoking and engaging ways. the newest member of our family, the national museum of african american history and culture is setting the bar even harder -- higher for the visitor experience. opening now at a time when social and political discourse remind us that racism is not a , this museumpast can and will advance the public conversation. it was in 1863 point frederick douglass said the relation

white and colored people is the great imperative and automating question for this age and nation to solve. at center and a half later, it is high time to honor the words of this statesman who began life as a slave. as its mission states, our nation's newest landmark was beacon thate a reminds of us what we were, what challenges we still face in point us towards what we can become. design, extraordinary representing openness, strength , theope, to its collection building stands at the crossroads of the past and the future. virtually all the objects housed within it were donated by people eager to share parts of their

history with the public. it is the only one of our buildings, including the castle, constructed without a pre-existing collection. , the objectsoon see contained within these walls are as diverse as the people associated with them. top come up like the glass coffin will make you angry or may move you to tears. berry's cadichuck llac may lift your spirits. these artifacts and these documents represent a country that is complicated and ever evolving. the many people who gave these asects emerged through them did the artists created the paintings and sculptures and other works on display. it is they who made this museum a reality. on behalf of the smithsonian and

public, are deeply honored for them. as soon as the vision for the museum started to take shape, the enormous cost of the project became apparent. required wasunding provided their federal operation. the remainder into to be raised from private sources. from the outset come the outpouring of financial support has been generous and moving. organizations of all kinds have joined in the efforts from major corporations and foundations to church groups and scout troops. the number of individual supporters is especially astonishing. there are people who wrote checks for millions of dollars and those who contributed at whatever they could. from a dollar of. today, more than 100,000 people have him aboard as members. this is a record. we are deeply grateful to each

of them and all those who recognize the importance of this museum and its role in the life of the country. in 2005, work on this project seriously got underway with the appointment of a director, lonnie bunch. lonnie bunch is an esteemed educator and scholar. he must have known the challenges ahead of creating a museum from stem to stern but he did not blink. efforts11 years, he led to imagine, design and construct this awe-inspiring building. the interpretive plan for the building and led the campaign to fund it. perhaps the most challenging task in my view that he oversaw was creating the collection itself. an initiative that required a national awareness effort, considerable travel and research

and along the way, he put together an incredible staff. a group of talented, bold, smart museum professionals who you will get to know beginning today. to introduce the person who did more than any other to make the national museum of african american history and culture a reality, it's founding director, lonnie bunch. [applause] >> this is the first time i've seen people in here. this is pretty cool. david, thank you so much for your leadership and kind words. there is no way this would happen without the kind of leadership that you and richard carrin have given us to make sure that we know that the smithsonian was with us every step of the way. thank you so much. to remember,r me

but 11 years ago, we really did start with a staff of two. no collections at all. exactly where the site of the museum would be. we knew we had to raise a lot of money. we did not know where we're going to get to. all we knew is that we had addition. vision. wanted to help all who encountered the museum to recover. to remember the rich history of the african-american. unvarnished truth. we felt it was crucial to craft a museum that would help america remember and confront its tortured racial past. but we also thought well america should ponder the pain of slavery and segregation, it also had to find the joy, hope and resilience, the spirituality

that was endemic in this community. the goal was to find the tension between moments of tears in moments of great joy. we also knew that remembering was not enough. we needed to craft a museum that would use the history and culture of the african-american community as a lens to better understand what it meant to be american. ,he goal is to help all regardless of race and ethnicity, to help all realize how profoundly affected we are as americans by the african-american experience. thatny ways, we discovered the african-american experience is the quintessential american experiment. it is the experience that helped us understand our notions of optimism, liberty, citizenship. we realize this is a story for us all.

not just one committee. we wereknew that standing on the shoulders of other usernames, large and -- museums, large and small who have done so much of the work that allowed us to make this vision real. we felt it was crucial that we had to be a place of collaboration. that we had to encourage visitors to come to washington and then go back and explore how culture is export at this to be museum of harlem or this california african-american museum or the museum in chicago. it was crucial that we were part of the national network of museums that cared about the past. i have to tell you, i'm so pleased to welcome you here museum on thethis national mall, america's front yard, this museum tries to

fulfill the dreams of so many generations who believe that america would be made better if it understood, if they grappled with, if it immersed itself in the african-american areas. -- experience. i'm so pleased to welcome you to this building created by a group that was lead until the death by max bond and that the building was really in the mind of the gifted the designer. could all be architects stand for me right now? [applause] thank you. what i love about it is that this building was informed by shaped by thealso

design of enslaved craft people who created so much of the beautiful ironwork and charleston, new orleans. it's important to remember that this building does not simply look back, but rather it looks to the future by dean the first sustainable negro building on the mall. vertically important to us. the architects allowed us to do that. this is a place that looks back, that revels in the past and is pointing us towards the future. i'm happy to invite you to explore the amazing exhibitions that take us through the history and culture of america through this lens. that a result of a collaboration between gifted curators and scholars on our staff and amazing design expertise supplied by ralph applebaum and associates. i have to tell you, we are at

of anoment because amazing group of people. i cannot think enough the council of this museum. these are people who for more than a decade gave their time, though linda johnsons, the laura bush's, the: powells, these are people who said this story is important enough that i will be here as long as you need. what they did is they provided amazing guidance and they used their considerable influence to help us meet and exceed our fundraising goal. they did more than that. they helped us believe that we could do this. there was a meeting i remember when the economy was going bad and the fundraising was going he looked around the room and said, don't worry, forget these people. we don't fail.

confidence, the time, to make this work. i will never forget that. we are at this moment because it toly takes an institution birth the national museum. i cannot express how much we appreciate the support of the regions and his senior leadership because they made this endeavor possible. key., leadership is the from secretary adams to scorten. the institution has never wavered. it was and has been the number one priority. momentalso at this because of thousands of individuals and corporations and foundations who suspended rules, who dug deeply into their pockets to give the museum the support and money and collection

that is needed to tell the story. i have to be honest, that is the most impressive part of this. all of these people came together and said, we will give whether it is money or our own story to the collections. what they made us realize is that the time was now for this museum. we are at this moment because of the high partisan support that we received in congress. bipartisan is not something you here in washington but we received amazing support and from the early days of john lewis to the sponsors trip -- sponsorship of sam brownback and the current congressional leadership, this is really an example of america at its best. people of different races, different political points of view coming together to craft something they believe to make america better.

finally, i have to say, i need to acknowledge that we have one of the most gifted staffs i've ever worked with. in some ways, forgiveness the sports analogy, this is like the 61 yankees or the 85 bears. these folks can play. director -- can you stand up? [applause] few will ever know the sacrifices and the work they put in. they will know because what they have done something that my youngest daughter described, once they finish the building, it means that this building will be available for the public to engage as long as there is in america. ultimately, this museum looks back, helps contextualize where we are but hints at what a

future can be. maybe even help us find reconciliation and healing. in some ways, we believe so strongly in the words of james baldwin and i think five, the past is all that makes the present coherent. this is an amazing moment and i think you so much for being with us. picky. -- thank you. [applause] [cheers]

>> c-span2 market history tv interviewed key members of the design team responsible for the smithsonian national museum of african american history and culture. this is about 20 minutes. designer of the national museum of african american history and culture. i was the architect on the team who was -- deliver the museum and vision and feeling and sequence you see when you come to the building. >> what feeling to do hope this building gives? >> uplift. inspiration. one that gives you a sense of intrigue, one to explore. one that would give you a fantastic overview at the end of the museum come at the top of the museum.

you have this fantastic panorama window to see over the potomac river. >> international background, can you tell us about that and how that informed your work? hana -- i was born in the heart of africa. i made -- i grew up in london as a teenager. practice has a was headed international outlook. we work all over the world. center, alsoce community projects like schools and education. we were building buildings in beforeore this -- d.c. this week when we were asked to join this competition, it was an extra ordinary moment that we were filled to be a part of. -- thrilled to be a part of.

we wanted to form a large team to allow each of our expertise to be the best that we could. >> what perspective do you think this international background and work has brought to the museum? toit has given an ability view the concept and story from a different position. it is emotional for me but it may not be emotional in the same way i did not have families who went to the slave trade but i have empathy with it. i think the struggles of the african-american community really reflect the aspirations of the entire black candidate around the world. it is a shared narrative. >> i understand the exterior design was here inspiration. where did that come from? >> it was from understanding that the african-american community comes from the central and west of africa.

extraordinary tradition of architecture recreates these incredible structures. i felt that it would be prudent make a reference to that tradition so that africans americans who may not know about this tradition understand the place that they came from has these incredible traditions and that is part of their narrative and part of the history. the very important reference and inspiration and the work of african americans as craftsman in the south. metalworkers built beautiful houses that we know in the south and incredible metalwork was a signature of american architecture bring it was the anomaly built by slaves. wanted to honor that tradition

of labor and craft. when you come close to the building, you see this incredible detail which is about that language. exteriort on the plantation homes? >> some of the main house is where the have iron work, you will see the artwork. -- iron work. when youare looking at look at the building is mapping, using computer technology to describe the way in which the ornament is made. it is a drawing of how ornament is made which is been represented on the building. >> we're standing in the oprah winfrey theater and the design here is an echo design. >> it is the same pattern that we have reduced in scale. the oprah winfrey theater, we want you to feel that you are in the heart of the building where is on the outside, the building is an object that is framed by the mall. on the inside, you are the

center of the building. the porch element to the museum is significant. why? >> on the south side of the mall, we wanted to create a welcome. the welcome of the south economic community. this idea of living inside and outside. we felt it was important if you wanted to -- we worked with our engineers to create a water body and speculative structure which creates a microclimate, incredible shade and draws the wind. the stairs andwn you are able to come to the museum and come to the welcome of shade before you carry on the journey or going to be museum and the cooling effect are really enhanced the porch and water. >> talk about the water element and symbolism? >> water is very important for

foundational but feel for the community. the middle passage, the journey across the atlantic, across a vast water body. labor in the south, irrigation and water was very much a part of the coastal nature of the agrarian south. water is something the african american committee cannot move away from. it is part of the foundation and martin luther king expressed , the being the justice clinton spiritual element that is part of the trinity. wordsinspired by those and use that as part of the reflection in the building. ,ou look in the special room you'll see that in full effect. >> we are in the washington monument grounds. that is the significance of this particular site.

is a knuckle positioned between the mall, the , washington monument, lincoln and jefferson. i would say that probably one of in thet critical points development of the washington monument grounds. it created some controversy. being on this particular site. in the end, i think it turned out well. placeobably is the right for this museum. particularly at this time of our history. >> why do you think it is the right place? >> i think this museum, when it healingn, it will be a element. for this country and maybe even the world. particularly at

this time. what we're going to resignation, the struggles going on between races, ethnic issues come on hoping that this will be a real learning experience and education for the people who come here and can see that we can heal ourselves and be more than just separate individuals or separate people. there are a lot of white marble buildings on the mall and out the windows of the scenic into the white house, tell us about the design of the exterior. what does it mean? upfirst of all, i will back to the competition for this building. we were fortunate enough to win. had 60% of thee building above ground. we went through all of the which agencies here

probably was more my role on this project because i'm in washington local architect. having worked with them is -- the smithsonian for more than 35 years, i've been able to be in a position to work with all of the agencies during that time. process, it was made clear that the footprint of having 60% of the building above ground was too much for the washington monument. they ask us to reverse that. which we redesigned and came up with the design that you see here today. that has 40% above ground and 60% below ground. in the competition, we had as part of the inspiration of the design the idea of the corona or the crown. that comes from a column that .as developed in west africa

it was the artistic west african community. floor, there is a column which is the column that was the inspiration for this and if you was he aook at it, he three-tiered crown sitting on top of that column. carved in wood but that was the first inspiration for the corona for this tilting. as we -- building. it allowed us to put three levels back into the corona which really had to levels during the competition. that was good. the other portion of this that was inspirational in terms of maintaining the idea of the monument grounds coming all the way through it the entire base of the building is glass. that is to make sure that you

feel like the washington monument grounds continue right through the building. and all the way over to constitution. pillars thatse contain the structure and the core of the museum. everything else is supported from that. when you look to the outside and structure, itrful is basically coming off the top of the building through a vertical trust all the way to the bottom. was you see here -- that clad with corona panels. there are 3600 panels. >> if you were to look to the outside, each one of the panels is roughly three feet by five inspiredthe design was by broad iron work done by

slaves in charleston and new orleans. thate bunch had the idea if we took the panels that were and connectedon certain points and came up with thatmodern derivation of brought iron panel. each one of those has the same feel to it and they move back and forth. there is a different ferocity depending on where you are in the building and if you look carefully, you will see that some have more transparency than others. solid to 95% 65% solid. wherever there is an opportunity view to connect to the exterior did the part of the and theof the grounds

monuments around, all of those are grounding points to establish the context for the museum. there is a visual connection made to each of those. a window over here that looks at the white house. this window is looking at the washington monument grounds. of the you the context lincoln memorial and also world war ii memorial and the washington monument. as you move around come he will see other viewpoints. >> you grew up in the segregated south. .> i grew up in memphis i lived there until i went to college. time in the 50's and 60's that there was a great deal of change. i grew up, went to school and segregated schools.