米歇尔北大演讲：读万卷书不如行万里路

优胜产品周老师

3月22日上午，美国第一夫人米歇尔造访北京大学，并接受北大校长赠书。之后，米歇尔在北大斯坦福中心以“读万卷书不如行万里路”为主题的演讲。在米歇尔的演讲中，“留学”成为关键词。她化用中国古语“读万卷书，不如行万里路”，并结合自身经历现身说法，希望让更多青年人拥有留学的机会。以下为米歇尔演讲的双语全文：

MRS. OBAMA: (Applause.) Thank you. Well, ni-hao. (Laughter.) It is such a pleasure and an honor to be here with all of you at this great university, so thank you so much for having me.

谢谢。你好。很高兴也很荣幸来到这里，在这所伟大的大学和你们共聚一堂。非常感谢你们邀请我。

Now, before I get started today, on behalf of myself and my husband, I just want to say a few very brief words about Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. As my husband has said, the United States is offering as many resources as possible to assist in the search. And please know that we are keeping all of the families and loved ones of those on this flight in our thoughts and prayers at this very difficult time.

在今天开始之前，我代表我自己和我的丈夫，就马来西亚航空公司的MH370航班简短说两句。如我丈夫所说，美国正提供尽可能多的资源协助搜寻工作。请相信，在这个非常艰难的时刻，我们的心和航班上人员的家属和亲人在一起，我们为他们祈祷。

Now with that, I want to start by recognizing our new Ambassador to China, Ambassador Baucus; President Wang; Chairman Zhu; Vice President Li; Director Cueller; Professor Oi, and the Stanford Center; President Sexton from New York University, which is an excellent study abroad program in Shanghai; and John Thornton, Director of the Global Leadership Program at Tsinghua University. Thank you all for joining us.

现在，我们首先来认识一下美国新任驻华大使，博卡斯大使、王校长、朱主席、李副校长、 Cuelluer主任、Oi教授和斯坦福中心，纽约大学的塞克顿斯校长，该校在上海开设了一个优秀的海外留学项目，以及清华大学全球领袖项目主任约翰·桑顿 ，由衷地感谢大家的到来。

But most of all, I want to thank all of the students who are here today. And I particularly want to thank Eric Schaefer and Zhu Xuanhao for that extraordinary English and Chinese introduction. That was a powerful symbol of everything that I want to talk with you about today.

最重要的是，我要感谢今天所有到场的学生们......我要特别感谢埃里克·谢弗和朱宣皓的精彩英文和中文介绍。这绝佳地诠释了我今天要和大家聊的全部话题。

See, by learning each other’s languages, and by showing such curiosity and respect for each other’s cultures, Mr. Schafer and Ms. Zhu and all of you are building bridges of understanding that will lead to so much more. And I’m here today because I know that our future depends on connections like these among young people like you across the globe.

你们看，通过学习彼此的语言，通过展现对彼此文化的好奇心和尊重，谢弗先生、朱女士以及你们大家正在搭建理解的桥梁，这些桥梁带来更多的丰硕成果。我今天来到你们这里是因为我知道，我们的未来取决于全球像你们这样年轻人间的这样的联系。

That’s why when my husband and I travel abroad, we don’t just visit palaces and parliaments and meet with heads of state. We also come to schools like this one to meet with students like you, because we believe that relationships between nations aren’t just about relationships between governments or leaders -- they’re about relationships between people, particularly young people. So we view study abroad programs not just as an educational opportunity for students, but also as a vital part of America’s foreign policy.

这也是为什么我们夫妇在国外访问时，不只参观宫殿、议会和会晤国家元首。我们也来到学校，与像你们一样的学生见面。因为我们相信，国与国之间的关系不只是政府或领导人之间的关系，它们是人民―特别是年轻人之间的关系。因此，我们认为海外留学项目不只是为学生提供的教育机会，还是美国外交政策至关重要的组成部分。

Through the wonders of modern technology, our world is more connected than ever before. Ideas can cross oceans with the click of a button. Companies can do business and compete with companies across the globe. And we can text, email, Skype with people on every continent.

通过现代技术奇迹，我们的世界比以往任何时候都更多地联系在一起。思想可以通过点击按钮跨越海洋。全球各地的公司可以进行业务往来和相互竟争。我们可以与各大洲的人们通过短信、电子邮件和Skype进行沟通。

So studying abroad isn’t just a fun way to spend a semester; it is quickly becoming the key to success in our global economy. Because getting ahead in today’s workplaces isn’t just about getting good grades or test scores in school, which are important. It’s also about having real experience with the world beyond your borders –- experience with languages, cultures and societies very different from your own. Or, as the Chinese saying goes: "It is better to travel ten thousand miles than to read ten thousand books."

因此，出国留学不只是以开心的方式度过一个学期——它正迅速成为全球化经济中取得成功的关键。因为要走在当今职场的前沿，只在学校里取得好成绩是不够的，还应拥有国境外的真实体验：体验完全不同的语言、文化和社会。正如中国的一句古话所说：“读万卷书，不如行万里路。”

But let’s be clear, studying abroad is about so much more than improving your own future. It’s also about shaping the future of your countries and of the world we all share. Because when it comes to the defining challenges of our time -– whether it’s climate change or economic opportunity or the spread of nuclear weapons -- these are shared challenges. And no one country can confront them alone. The only way forward is together.

我想要说的是，出国留学绝不仅是改善你们自己的未来，它也关乎塑造你们的国家、关乎我们共有的世界的未来。因为我们这个时代的决定性挑战一一无论是气侯变化、经济机遇，还是核武器扩散一一这些都是我们共同的挑战。没有任何一个国家能够单独应对它们……唯一的出路就是共同携手。

That’s why it is so important for young people like you to live and study in each other’s countries, because that’s how you develop that habit of cooperation. You do it by immersing yourself in one another’s culture, by learning each other’s stories, by getting past the stereotypes and misconceptions that too often divide us.

这就是为什么年轻人到彼此国家学习和生活是如此重要。因为这是你们培养合作习惯的途径一一你们通过融入不同的文化，通过了解彼此的故事，通过跨越常常隔膜我们的成见和误解，来做到这一点。

That’s how you come to understand how much we all share. That’s how you realize that we all have a stake in each other’s success -- that cures discovered here in Beijing could save lives in America, that clean energy technologies from Silicon Valley in California could improve the environment here in China, that the architecture of an ancient temple in Xi’an could inspire the design of new buildings in Dallas or Detroit.

这是你们了解到我们共享多少东西的途径。这是你们认识到我们的成功惠及彼此的途径。在北京发现的治序方法可以挽救在美国的生命，来自加州硅谷的清洁能源技术可以改善中国的环境，西安一座古老寺庙的架构可激发达拉斯或者底特律新建筑设计的灵感。

And that’s when the connections you make as classmates or labmates can blossom into something more. That’s what happened when Abigail Coplin became an American Fulbright Scholar here at Peking University. She and her colleagues published papers together in top science journals, and they built research partnerships that lasted long after they returned to their home countries. And Professor Niu Ke from Peking University was a Fulbright Scholarship -- Scholar in the U.S. last year, and he reported -- and this is a quote from him -- he said, "The most memorable experiences were with my American friends."

这是你们与同学、实验伙伴建立起的联系能带来更多收获的时候。阿比盖尔·柯普林成为北京大学美国富布赖特学者的时候，她与同事们在首屈一指的科学杂志上共同发表论文，建立研究伙伴关系，这段关系在他们各自回国后还长久持续着。 来自北京大学的牛可教授是去年的美国富布赖特学者。我引述下他的话，“最难忘的经历是和我的美国朋友们在一起。”

These lasting bonds represent the true value of studying abroad. And I am thrilled that more and more students are getting this opportunity. As you’ve heard, China is currently the fifth most popular destination for Americans studying abroad, and today, the highest number of exchange students in the U.S. are from China.

这些长久的纽带代表留学的真正价值，我很兴奋，越来越多的学生正得到这样的机会。中国目前是美国人留学的第五大热门目的地。今天的美国，来自中国的交换生数量最多。

But still, too many students never have this chance, and some that do are hesitant to take it. They may feel like studying abroad is only for wealthy students or students from certain kinds of universities. Or they may think to themselves, well, that sounds fun but how will it be useful in my life? And believe me, I understand where these young people are coming from because I felt the same way back when I was in college.

尽管如此，太多的学生从来没有这样的机会，而一些有机会的学生则犹豫是否要抓住它。 他们可能觉得留学只是有钱的学生或来自某类大学的学生的事。或者，他们可能心里想，“嗯，这听起来很有趣，但它在我的生活中真正有多大用处？” 我理解这些年轻人，因为我在上大学时也有同样的感受
See, I came from a working-class family, and it never occurred to me to study abroad -- never. My parents didn’t get a chance to attend college, so I was focused on getting into a university, earning my degree so that I could get a good job to support myself and help my family. And I know for a lot of young people like me who are struggling to afford a regular semester of school, paying for plane tickets or living expenses halfway around the world just isn’t possible. And that’s not acceptable, because study abroad shouldn’t just be for students from certain backgrounds.

你们知道，我来自一个工薪阶层家庭，我甚至从来没想过留学。我的父母没有上过大学，我将精力集中在进入大学并获得学位，这样我就可以得到一份工作并养活自己。对于很多像我一样靠奋斗才能读得起一个常规学期的年轻人来说，支付世界另一边的机票或生活费实在是不可能的。这是不可接受的，因为留学不应仅属于有一些背景的学生。

Our hope is to build connections between people of all races and socioeconomic backgrounds, because it is that diversity that truly will change the face of our relationships. So we believe that diversity makes our country vibrant and strong. And our study abroad programs should reflect the true spirit of America to the world.

我们希望在所有种族和社会经济背景的人之间建立联系，因为正是这样的多样性让我们的国家如此充满活力和强大……我们的海外留学项目应向世界反映美国的真正精神。

And that’s why when my husband visited China back in 2009, he announced the 100,000 Strong initiative to increase the number and diversity of American students studying in China. And this year, as we mark the 35th anniversary of the normalization of relationships between our two countries, the U.S. government actually supports more American students in China than in any other country in the world.

这就是为什么在2009年我的丈夫访问中国时，宣布了我们的10万项倡议，该倡议旨在增加留学中国的美国学生的数量和多样性。而今年，在我们纪念中美两国关系正常化三十五周年之际……美国政府实际上支持更多的美国学生在中国学习。

We are sending high school, college and graduate students here to study Chinese. We’re inviting teachers from China to teach Mandarin in American schools. We’re providing free online advising for students in China who want to study in the U.S. And the U.S.-China Fulbright program is still going strong with more than 3,000 alumni.

我们正将高中生、大学生和研究生送到这里来学习中文，我们正邀请中国老师到美国的高校教授普通话，我们为希望留学美国的中国学生提供免费的在线咨询。美中富布赖特项目仍在加强，现有3000多名学友。

And the private sector is stepping up as well. For example, Steve Schwarzman, who is the head of an American company called Blackstone, is funding a new program at Tsinghua University modeled on the Rhodes Scholarship. And today, students from all kinds of backgrounds are studying here in China.

私人部门也在加紧工作。例如，美国黑石公司的主管斯蒂夫·施瓦茨曼正在资助清华大学模仿罗德奖学全的一个新项目。今天，来自不同背景的学生正在中国学习。

Take the example of Royale Nicholson, who’s from Cleveland, Ohio. She attends New York University’s program in Shanghai. Now, like me, Royale is a first-generation college student. And her mother worked two full-time jobs while her father worked nights to support their family. And of her experience in Shanghai, Royale said -- and this is her quote -- she said, "This city oozes persistence and inspires me to accomplish all that I can." And happy birthday, Royale. It was her birthday yesterday. (Laughter.)

以来自俄亥俄州克利夫兰的罗亚尔为例，她参加了纽约大学在上海的项目。像我一样，罗亚尔是家里的第一代大学生。她母亲做两份全职工作，而她父亲晚上工作以维持他们的家庭。谈到她在上海的经历时，她说：“这座城市充满韧性，它激励我完成所有我能做的事。” 对了，罗亚尔，我祝你生日快乐。昨天正好是她的生日。

And then there’s Philmon Haile from the University of Washington, whose family came to the U.S. as refugees from Eritrea when he was a child. And of his experience studying in China, he said, "Study abroad is a powerful vehicle for people-to-people exchange as we move into a new era of citizen diplomacy."

还有来自华盛顿大学的腓力门·海尔，他还是孩子的时候，他的家人作为厄立特里亚难民来到了美国。谈到他在中国学习的经历时，他说：“在我们进入公民外交的新时代之际，留学是人民间交流的一种强大工具。”

"A new era of citizen diplomacy". I could not have said it better myself, because that’s really what I’m talking about. I am talking about ordinary citizens reaching out to the world. And as I always tell young people back in America, you don’t need to get on a plane to be a citizen diplomat. I tell them that if you have an Internet connection in your home, school, or library, within seconds you can be transported anywhere in the world and meet people on every continent.

“一个公民外交的新时代”一一我想不出比这更好的说法了，因为这正是我正在谈的，那就是普通公民走向世界。正如我经常对美国年轻认说的那样，你不需要登上飞机才能成为公民外交官。我告诉他们，如果你在家里、学校或者图书馆能上网，只要几秒钟，你就可以被带到世界任何地方，遇见来自每个大陆的人。

And that’s why I’m posting a daily travel blog with videos and photos of my experiences here in China, because I want young people in America to be part of this visit. And that’s really the power of technology –- how it can open up the entire world and expose us to ideas and innovations we never could have imagined.

这就是为什么我每天都要发一篇旅行博文，里面有我这次中国之行的视频和照片—因为我希望美国的年轻人能成为这次访问的一部分。这确实是技术的力量—它打开整个世界，让我们接触到以前根本难以想象的思想和创新。

And that’s why it’s so important for information and ideas to flow freely over the Internet and through the media, because that’s how we discover the truth. That’s how we learn what’s really happening in our communities and our country and our world. And that’s how we decide which values and ideas we think are best –- by questioning and debating them vigorously, by listening to all sides of an argument, and by judging for ourselves.

这也是为什么信息和思想在互联网上、并通过媒体自由流动是如此重要。因为那是我们发现真理的途径，那使我们得以了解我们的社群、我们的国家和我们的世界到底在发生着什么。那也是我们何以决定哪些价值观和思想是最好的—通过有力地对它们提出疑问，进行辩论，倾听各方观点，并做出自己的判断。

And believe me, I know how this can be a messy and frustrating process. My husband and I are on the receiving end of plenty of questioning and criticism from our media and our fellow citizens. And it’s not always easy, but we wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. Because time and again, we have seen that countries are stronger and more prosperous when the voices of and opinions of all their citizens can be heard.

相信我，我知道这是一个令人困惑而沮丧的过程。有大量来自我们媒体和公民的质疑和批评，而我丈夫和我位于接收端。这并非易事，但我们认为它的重要无可取代。因为我们一次又一次地看到，当所有公民的声音和观点都能得到倾听之时，国家会变得更加强大和繁荣。

And as my husband has said, we respect the uniqueness of other cultures and societies, but when it comes to expressing yourself freely and worshipping as you choose and having open access to information, we believe those universal rights -- they are universal rights that are the birthright of every person on this planet. We believe that all people deserve the opportunity to fulfill their highest potential as I was able to do in the United States.

正像我的丈夫曾说过的，我们尊重其他文化和社会的独特性。然而，就自由的表达自我、选择自己所崇拜的东西，以及享有信息公开而言—我们相信那是地球上每个人与生俱来的权利。我们相信，所有人都应享有实现自己最大潜能的机会，正如我在美国所能做到的那样。

And as you learn about new cultures and form new friendships during your time here in China and in the United States, all of you are the living, breathing embodiment of those values. So I guarantee you that in studying abroad, you’re not just changing your own life, you are changing the lives of everyone you meet.

同时，当你在中国这里以及在美国了解新的文化、结交新的朋友之时，你整个人就是那些价值观的鲜活代表。所以我保证，通过出国留学，你们不仅在改变自己的人生，也在改变你所遇到的每个人的人生。

And as the great American President John F. Kennedy once said about foreign students studying in the U.S., he said "I think they teach more than they learn." And that is just as true of young Americans who study abroad. All of you are America’s best face, and China’s best face, to the world -- you truly are.

正像伟大的美国总统约翰·肯尼迪谈到留学美国的外国学生时说的那样，“我想他们所教的比他们学到的还要多。”而对出国学习的年径美国人来说也是一样的。对世界而言，你们所有人都是最好的美国面孔，和最好的中国面孔。

Every day, you show the world your countries’ energy and creativity and optimism and unwavering belief in the future. And every day, you remind us -- and me in particular -- of just how much we can achieve if we reach across borders, and learn to see ourselves in each other, and confront our shared challenges with shared resolve.

每一天，你们都在向世界展示你们国家的能量、创造力、乐观，以及对未来坚定不移的信念。每一天，你们都在提醒我们，通过跨越国界，学会在彼此身上看到我们自己，和用共同的决心应对我们共同的挑战。

So I hope you all will keep seeking these kinds of experiences. And I hope you’ll keep teaching each other, and learning from each other, and building bonds of friendship that will enrich your lives and enrich our world for deCADes to come.

所以，我希望你们都会不断寻求这样的经历。我希望你们能继续受益于彼此，互相学习，同时建立起友谊的纽带，而这些纽带能在未来数十年丰富你们的生活，也丰富我们的世界。

You all have so much to offer, and I cannot wait to see all that you achieve together in the years ahead.

你们大家都有这么多可以给予世界，我热切期待着你们未来的成就。

Thank you so much. Xie-Xie. (Applause.)

非常感谢。谢谢。

huzhizhi

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