To communicate as global citizens As people from a country with 5000 years of glorious civilization, why do we consider mastering a foreign language such an important skill？ What is the reason for us to spend so much time and energy to learn a second language? People may have multiple answers. What I want to argue tonight is , that every language embodies a unique culture. The essence of learning a language is ,to develop an appreciation of the culture and traditions behind that language … to open our vision to new values and ideas created from that language, which can enable us to fulfill new demands for communicating and behaving as global citizens in the unavoidable trend of globalization.
作為一個(gè)有著五千年悠久燦爛文明之國(guó)度的公民，為什么我們把掌握一門外語看做如此重要的技能？我們投入這么多精力和時(shí)間學(xué)習(xí)外語的原因究竟是什么？關(guān)于這個(gè)問題，人們一定會(huì)有不同的答案。而對(duì)此今晚我想要陳述的觀點(diǎn)是，每一門語言都體現(xiàn)著一種獨(dú)特的文化，所以語言學(xué)習(xí)的本質(zhì)在于了解根植于所學(xué)之語言背后的文化和傳統(tǒng)，在于用不同的價(jià)值觀和思想之碰撞來開拓我們的視野，唯有這樣，才能使我們?cè)诓豢勺钃醯娜蚧顺敝�，具備以世界公民的身份來與全世界各族人民進(jìn)行溝通的素質(zhì)。
Since there can be no such thing as communicating meaningfully with a foreign people while being ignorant of their traditions and customs, their way of thinking. Therefore, a crucial step in becoming a global citizen must be, to access different cultures and values through the process of language learning.
Let me take the international language of today’s world as an exmaple, english, as an exquisite language, has been brilliantly used by extraordinary genius to express a multitude of world-changing views. It has evolved with glorious thoughts that have nurtured life-transforming innovations resulting in unbounded financial prosperity and levels of freedom in forms the world has never known before.
讓我以目前的國(guó)際通用語言來舉例闡述。英語，作為一門精致的語言，由歷史上卓越的思想家，文學(xué)家，科學(xué)家一同對(duì)其進(jìn)化過程做出過貢獻(xiàn)。這門語言隨著偉大的思想和科技共同發(fā)展，而這些思想和科技為如今人類生活天翻地覆的變化打下了基礎(chǔ)，為我們的世界帶來了空前的經(jīng)濟(jì)技術(shù)與精神文明的高度繁榮。
The plays of Shakespeare provide deep insights into every tragedy and comedy that comprise Human Life. Unparallelled eloquence and rhetoric demonstrate the courageous leadership of great men such as Sir Winston Churchill and Dr. Martin Luther King. Then, there are the world changing economic, political and philosophic breakthroughs in Human Thought of Adam Smith, Thomas Jefferson and Henry Thoreau.
君不見那偉大的戲劇家莎士比亞筆下所講述的，幾乎涵蓋了所有人世間的悲歡離合。溫斯頓丘吉爾和馬丁路德金等偉大人物的非凡勇氣和領(lǐng)袖氣質(zhì)，以無與倫比的雄辯和修辭的方式向我們展示。亞當(dāng)斯密、托馬斯杰弗遜、亨利梭羅，他們不朽的著作在經(jīng)濟(jì)、政治、哲學(xué)等領(lǐng)域，為世界帶來了曾經(jīng)難以想象的積極變革。
In truth, in the works of English there is throughout the common spiritual wealth of Mankind, which opens the mind to the glories of Human Civilization. Amazingly, It also enlights my Mind evermore to the glories of my ancient homeland. Indeed, to be opened through learning language to the glories of other cultures is always eventually a path back to the fullest appreciation of ones own culture. To fully appreciate the glory of English is to be constantly reminded of the Heavenly Beauty in the Orient and the endless pride of being Chinese. It is the paradox of becoming a Global Citizen that one becomes a far better Chinese Citizen.
可以說，以英語創(chuàng)作出的著作中，貫穿著由整個(gè)人類共創(chuàng)并共享的精神財(cái)富，使我們的心靈得以共同仰望人類文明創(chuàng)造的碩果。然而更加不可思議的是，學(xué)習(xí)英語的過程，讓我竟然對(duì)故國(guó)那古老悠久的文明激發(fā)出了更深的景仰。事實(shí)上，通過學(xué)習(xí)語言而去接觸各民族文化中的輝煌，最終導(dǎo)向的往往是對(duì)故土鄉(xiāng)情更多的精神眷戀，對(duì)自身文化土壤更深刻的理解和認(rèn)識(shí)。就好比我們學(xué)習(xí)英語并欣賞其中的精彩，這個(gè)過程卻能反而讓我們更多地向往那靜謐東方的天地之美，和作為一個(gè)中國(guó)人的無盡自豪。也許聽起來像是個(gè)悖論，但可以肯定的是，能成為世界公民的中國(guó)人，一定會(huì)是一個(gè)更好的中國(guó)公民。
No matter how diversified world cultures might be, there still remain common sentiments possessed by the entire human race. It is said that with our eyes we see only differences but with our heart we see the Oneness that unites all Humanity and compassionately promises Peace. To realize this Oneness as the Truth underlying all perceived human differences is the vital role of inter-cultrual communication. Thus the path to becoming a Global Citizen is a process of creating understandings that wash away all prejudice from our minds. Born from this understanding is the wisdom which can purge all fears and enable all people to grasp our common spiritual Source … to discover the common nobility, to face the shared vulnerability, to value the mutual creativity … to bring the innate decency and learned civility of Confucius’s definition of “The Good Citizen” into a finer version of Human Civilization that embraces, integrates and aligns Mankind into a New harmonious Oneness …
無論世界文化是何等的多樣性，一定會(huì)有相似的那份情操是全人類共通共享的。有位詩人說過，透過我們的雙眼，看到的是一個(gè)繽紛多彩的世界，然而用我們的心來觀察，這世界其實(shí)是一個(gè)整體，能把所有的人類的愛心化成一種合力，給和平一份期許。在繽紛多樣且紛爭(zhēng)繁雜的世界中發(fā)現(xiàn)這種人類的共通性，即是溝通的首要意義。所以通往成為世界公民的之路，就是一個(gè)對(duì)世界加深認(rèn)識(shí)的過程，讓我們能夠消除所有心中不必存在的偏見。而這個(gè)認(rèn)識(shí)的過程中，更是會(huì)產(chǎn)生一種智慧，讓人們能夠消除對(duì)未知世界的恐懼，這智慧更能讓全世界人們共同珍惜彼此精神文化之源泉，發(fā)掘那人性中那足可以超越種族和國(guó)界的高貴；一起面對(duì)并承擔(dān)那同樣的脆弱和局限；一起珍惜彼此可以互通有無的創(chuàng)造力….把共通的內(nèi)在的外在的尊嚴(yán)和民族性匯聚成一股合力，把幾千年前先師孔子對(duì)文明的詮釋，轉(zhuǎn)化成一個(gè)更加精致的版本，以這種嶄新的人類文明之光，去擁抱、去整合、去聯(lián)絡(luò)全世界人類，使我們共同擁有一個(gè)和諧的世界。
That is why better communications for deeper understanding are always to be emphasized. That is why never before has it been so necessary for people from all regions to learn other languages. Never before has foreign language learning been such an indispensable part of liberal education.
這才是之所以當(dāng)今世界如此強(qiáng)調(diào)以更好的溝通探尋更深的理解之原因。這才是之所以全世界各地的人們從未像今天這樣熱衷于學(xué)習(xí)外語的原因，也解釋了為何外語教學(xué)在如今的通才教育中，是如此不可或缺的一個(gè)組成部分。
The modern global Citizen should be the Eternal Student who pursues with joy a life-long journey of learning. We all know that Learning encourages communication, which creates a fearless understanding of the world and gives Peace a Chance.
當(dāng)代世界公民，必然也是一個(gè)樂此不疲的終身學(xué)習(xí)者。我們都懂得學(xué)習(xí)的過程必然會(huì)激發(fā)溝通的愿望，而唯有溝通才能夠讓我們對(duì)這世界產(chǎn)生一種無畏的認(rèn)知，才讓世界和平有了更大的可能性。
Here, ladies and gentlemen, Allow me to paraphrase a famous lyric here, “ You may say I’m a dreamer. I’m sure I m not the only one. I hope some day you’ll join us, so we can stand together and fulfill the most passionate dream of Humankind … to see the World As a place full of love.
女士們先生們，請(qǐng)?jiān)试S我在這里引述幾句非常著名的歌詞（約翰列儂的《imagine》）“也許你會(huì)說我是一個(gè)夢(mèng)想家，但我確定的是，我不是那唯一的一個(gè)。我希望有一天你也能加入我們，讓我們肩并肩地實(shí)現(xiàn)人類最勇敢的夢(mèng)想，讓這世界變成一個(gè)充滿愛的地方！”
Thank you very much.