And this is not only directed at the graduates today,but there are a lot of proud mothers and fathers and husbands and wives and grandparents and children and others who have seen you to this day.And this is an offer and a challenge to all of us.In the times that we face,we know we don‘t have a person to waste,we don’t have an idea to overlook.In fact,we have to be even more committed to reaching out and crossing the divides that too often separate us.For those who have come to this country to celebrate a child or a friend‘s graduation,please take home this message:America more than ever wants your help;in fact,needs your help as we build these new partnerships and as we seek solutions to the global crises that cannot be solved by any one people or one government alone.
We need each other.We always have.It’s just so much more apparent today.A flu starting in one country spreads quickly around the world.An extremist ideology starting with a few people explodes across the internet.A global financial crisis affects farmers and small business people in every corner of the globe.That is a new reality.But equally important is that we also now have the tools to work together to forge this common approach to these common threats.
So,Class of 2009,you have an historic opportunity.Every class is told that,and to some extent I suppose it is always true.But just in the course of this commencement ceremony,you‘ve heard several references to the global economic crisis.The times that you are graduating in are,yes,perhaps more difficult and somewhat more daunting.But that’s when we really rise together.One of the best lines from one of my favorite baseball movies,A League of Their Own-(applause)-said it well,“If it were easy,anybody could do it.”
You know,when the Yankees moved into their old stadium next door in 1923,there was only person on the roster from west of St.Louis.Their team mostly looked the same,talked the same,and came from the same kind of cities and towns and rural areas across America.Think about team that plays in this new stadium.It includes players from Mexico,Japan,Taiwan,Panama,four other countries.The Dominican Republic alone is home to seven Yankees.In the same way,NYU has evolved as well.The university was founded to serve the City of New York.Today it serves the world.
We know that there is much yet ahead that none of us can predict.There is no way to stop change.Change will come.What is unknown is whether it will bring progress or not.But you have done what you needed to do to get the best insurance policy you could,and that is an NYU education.(Applause.)And so armed with that education,I have every confidence that you will not only succeed by the dint of your own hard work and effort,but you will contribute far beyond your own personal needs.This is your moment.You‘ve made it to the big leagues,and you are up to bat.Go out and give us a future worthy of this great university,of this great city,of this great country,and of the world we all wish to create together.
Thank you,congratulations,and Godspeed.(Applause.)
译文参考
变革终将会来
——希拉里·克林顿在纽约大学的演讲
谢谢,谢谢,非常感谢。还有比这更好的事吗——世界上最优秀的大学之一的纽约大学在这里,在纽约扬基队主场所在地举行毕业典礼?那真是再好不过了。(掌声)谢谢大家为一位为你们加油的客人表达出如此热烈的欢迎。我以为在扬基体育场是不允许这样做的。
能够获得该学位,令我感到十分荣幸。我仅代表获此殊荣的其他人向你们表示由衷的感谢。
谢谢你们授予我参加这次毕业典礼的殊荣。当我看到这样一大群毕业生及他们的亲友时,我不禁想到了,你们在一个不寻常的时刻获得了学位,我们的国家乃至整个世界比以往更需要你们的才智和精力、你们的激情和承诺。毋庸置疑,你们已然为这样的世界做好了充分的准备——当下的前景似乎不是很明朗,但是我赞赏你们不仅是因为你们为了你们自己和你们的家人,更是为了你们的社区和国家接受的教育。
作为国家的国务卿,我十分清楚我们现在所面临的各种挑战。作为新的毕业生,你们和你们这一代人也将面对这样的挑战——气候变化和饥饿贫穷遍地以及极端主义的意识形态、新的疾病和核武器的扩散。但我深信,你们和我们能够一起完成这艰难的任务。美国和整个世界面对的各种难题,都是可以通过人们的努力、合作和相互依赖得以解决,然而这种相互的依赖表明,人类的社会正在继续前进着。挑战将激发我们最好的一面,我们要将世界变的更加美好。(掌声)
我知道,现在在毕业典礼上发表理想化的演说是时尚的,当然现在我说的也许很理想化,但是我内心深处有一种强烈的现实感。因为你们知道,我认为我们别无选择。我们可以袖手旁观,亦可束手无策,甚至可以采取悲观怀疑的态度,但我们知道这样做的话,会产生怎样的后果——我们会把我们的阵地都拱手让给那些被世界上有良知和信仰人的所不齿的人。因此,我们需要积极地相互依赖着——这是个事实——也促使我们为此做好准备。但这些不能仅被看做是政府与政府之间的事情。随着科技的不断发展,我们有时间也有机会成为平民外交家、活动家,我们通过辛勤的工作,有耐心地,有毅力地去解决一个个的问题,逐步积累并寻求解决方案。
我知道我们无法派专员与大规模爆发的流行病进行磋商,亦不能和二氧化碳开峰会,更不能与全球金融危机断绝关系。所以要抗击这些威胁并抓住威胁带来的机遇,就需要我们自上而下建立伙伴关系,并利用手中一切可以利用的手段。这就是巧实力的实质。但巧实力来自精明的人,接受过良好教育的人,可以对日益复杂、相互关联的世界展开心胸的人,而且也是当前不断变化的全球环境要求我们必须做到的外交概念。
回顾我多年前从学校毕业的情景,外交是闭门谋事的高官要员做的事情。而如今,我们的外交人员来自各行各业,我们的外交工作也再不局限于国务院或我国驻外使领馆了。我们正在为二十一世纪的治国大计培养人才。在哪里?就在纽约大学的教室里,就在这座伟大城市中各家公司董事会的会议室里,就在学术讲堂里,就在我们一所所优秀医院的手术室里。我们需要的是个人承诺和个人的联系纽带,而也这正是你们能够一展身手之处。
我们今天所面临的最重大的挑战将由占世界人口60%的30岁以下的年轻人来解决。而年轻一代,已然在发挥他们的才华和智慧,帮助形成具有他们独特风格的公益和外交工作。