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York at the time. The idea was accounted for 2.7% of gross
'we need to have some great national product of the United
project in lower Manhattan that States. When it came to interna-
would become the anchor of the tional trade, we were really an
renovation of that area'. David isolated country. Today, interna-
Rockefeller went to see his tional business and servicing
brother because the Port international business accounts
Authority of New York and New for 22.7% of our gross national
Jersey has the responsibility of product. What that means is that
the twenty-five-mile circle one job in five in this country has
around the Statue of Liberty. been created because of interna-
And one of the things it does is tional business. Of course, if you
promote commerce for the two look at the world, and you go to
states and the Port of New York countries in the Far East these
and New Jersey. figures might be as high as 90 or
even 95%. However, for us this
They gave me the job in is already a big thing, and I think
February 1962. They had done that we are one of the biggest two wars I had served in (the root, and the World Trade
some studies in 1960, but those importers in the world." Second World War and the Centres Association (WTCA)
studies and visions were for a Korean War). All of a sudden I was set up in 1970. "I started
much smaller project than the 0: How were you going to fill was talking to people in the ship- with fifteen people from fifteen
project I put together. In order up your buildings? ping business that had been our cities and seven countries," Mr
for the Port of New York and enemies, and I began to realise Tozzoli says proudly.
New Jersey to make any deci- "I had 10 million square feet to that there was more to this world
sions, legislation had to be the be filled and I had to think about trade business. Suppose I could "The first General Assembly of
same in the two states. So they how I could promote this new create an entity that was non- the Association was held in
voted legislation authorizing the concept of the World Trade political, not-for-profit and, if I Tokyo. The Second World War
building of this World Trade Centre. So the first thing I did trade with you, the first thing I do was finished, and I wanted to
Centre in downtown Manhattan. was start spreading the 'gospel' is I learn a little more about your promote the business of peace
In January 1964, the Readers' about the World Trade Centre culture. And then I do not want and stability. Japan was no
Digest called the plans for the movement around the world. I to fight you because you and I do longer our enemy. In the World
World Trade Centre, 'the largest decided that the first place I business together. It was a very Trade Centres Association we do
building project since the should go to tell people about it practical way of looking at it. But not compete with one another—
Egyptian Pyramids'. That plan and to bring my model was to to me world trade business was we help each another. I was
was announced in January Norway, and then to the other the embodiment of peace and sta- elected President of the associa-
1964—by me as the director of Scandinavian countries.' bility through trade, which tion. Ten years later, the USSR,
the project and, of course, by the became the model for the new China and the United States
Governors of the two states as 0. Why Norway? association I started in 1970." were all members of the
the project belonged to them. It Association, and this despite the
was also known as a public proj- "I had worked for the Port The World Trade Centres political context at the time.
ect, meaning that it was partly Authority for quite a long time, Association concept consists, in Today, we have more than 277
under the states of New York and at a certain time I was in fact, of two simple ideas: first, members in our association in
and New Jersey via the Port charge of the construction of promote the World Trade Centre about 78 countries, and we serv-
Authority in order to promote ports, so all the people I knew concept around the world; and ice more than 750,000 interna-
commerce, and to encourage were in shipping. So I went off second encourage reciprocal tional companies. We have so
international trade, in particular to Norway. I gave them a lecture programmes from one World many because there are some
in the port." about the World Trade Centre in Trade Centre to another. These members like Taiwan that alone
New York. People came to hear programmes could include such has more than 120 000 compa-
"It was required under a state about this new concept. This was things as trade missions, educa- nies served by the World Trade
rule that 75% of a company's the beginning of promoting the tional programmes and advances Centre in Taipei. There are
business had to be international World Trade Centre." in communications. Guy Tozzoli almost 70,000 or 80,000 compa-
or servicing international, or I "As I was travelling around the puts it this way: "If you need nies served by World Trade
could not rent out the premises." world I got this rather simple information about New York Centres in Seoul alone."
idea." and my World Trade Centre is in
0: What about international New York, you would come to "We have World Trade Centres
trade at that time? "People in international business me. If I need information about in Ramallah and Israel; we have
needed information to increase your area, wherever it might be, one Kabul; there's even one in
When I starting studying what their business. There was some- I come to you and your World North Korea. Our organization is
to do, international trade thing else I had learned from the Trade Centre. The idea took not political. We are promoting

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