Chinese First Lady Peng Liyuan, UNESCO's Special Envoy for the Advancement of Girls' and Women's Education, delivers a speech in English at the Global Education First Initiative event at the United Nations in New York on Sept 26, 2015. [Photo/UN Sina Weibo]

　　2015年9月26日，中国第一夫人、联合国教科文组织特使彭丽媛在纽约联合国总部参加“教育第一促进可持续发展”高级别活动，并发表英文演讲。（照片来源：联合国新浪微博）

　　一起来看彭麻麻的演讲全文（双语）吧~

　　Director-general Bokova, ladies and gentlemen,

　　尊敬的博科娃总干事，女士们、先生们：

　　It gives me great pleasure to join for this important initiative as the UN marks its 70th anniversary.

　　我非常高兴，在联合国成立70周年之际出席这一“教育第一”高级别会议。

　　Education is very close to my heart. My father grew up in a small village in China. In those days, not many villagers could read. So my father opened a night school to teach them how to read. With his help, many people learned to write their own names. With his help, many people learned to read newspapers for the first time. With his help, many women were able to teach their children how to read. As his daughter, I know what education means to the people, especially those without it.

　　我非常关注教育。我的父亲生长在中国的一个小乡村，那个时候许多村民都不识字。所以，当时我的父亲开办了村夜校，专门帮助扫盲。在他的帮助下，许多人学会了写自己的名字，第一次看懂了报纸，许多女性也能够教她们的孩子识字。作为他的女儿，我非常清楚地意识到教育对每个人、尤其对得不到教育的人来说是多么重要。

　　After generations of hard work, China has come a long way in education. I, myself, am a beneficiary of that progress. Otherwise, I would never have become a soprano and professor of music. I’m following in my father’s footstep by teaching at the China Conservatory of Music to help continue China’s success story.

　　经过了几代人的努力，中国的教育事业取得了显著成就。我自己就是中国教育发展的受益者。否则的话，我永远也不可能成为一个女高音歌唱家和音乐教授。我现在也跟随我父亲的脚步，投身教育工作，为中国教育事业的发展尽绵薄之力。

　　I want to thank director-general Bokova and UNESCO for naming me Special Envoy for Girls’ and Women’s Education. I’m truly honored to work with the UN and do something for global education. I have visited many schools around the world and seen first-hand how much more we can do on education.

　　我要感谢博科娃总干事和联合国教科文组织授予我“促进女童和妇女教育特使”称号。我非常荣幸能够与联合国组织共同为全球教育贡献一己之力。我走访过世界很多国家的学校，我也看到了在教育方面我们可以做出更多的努力。

　　Education is about women and girls. It is important for girls to go to school because they will become their children’s first teachers someday. But women still account for over half of the world’s poor in population and 60% of adults who cannot read. Education is crucial in addressing such inequalities. In China, the Spring Buds Education Program has helped over 3 million girls go back to school. Many of them have finished university education and are doing well at work.

　　教育要关注妇女和女童。女童一定要上学，这是很重要的，因为她们长大之后会成为自己孩子的第一任老师。但是，全球贫困者中女性过半，而全球成年文盲中女性仍占60%以上。教育是改变女性不公平待遇的重要途径。中国的春蕾计划帮助了300多万女童重返学校。其中很多人已经从高校毕业，并且成为社会的有用之才。

　　Education is about equality. In poor countries and regions, the number of school drop-outs is astonishing. We call for more educational resources to these places.

　　教育要倡导公平公正。在贫困的国家和地区，辍学比例很高。我们呼吁加大对这些地区的教育投入。

　　Education is about the young people. Young people are the future. Education is important because it not only gives young people acknowledge and skills but also helps them become responsible citizens. As UNESCO’s Special Envoy and mother myself, my commitment to education for all will never change.

　　教育要面向青年。青年是我们的未来。教育之所以重要，因为它不仅要教授知识和技能，还帮助青年人成长为具有强烈社会责任感的公民。作为联合国教科文组织的特使和一名母亲，我对于全民教育的承诺不会改变。

　　Many years ago, my father made small difference in his village. Together, we can make a big difference in the world.

　　多年前，我的父亲通过自己的努力改变了他所在的小村庄。今天，只要大家携手努力，就能改变世界。

　　I was once asked about my Chinese dream. I said I hope all children especially girls can have good access to education. This is my Chinese dream. I believe, one day, education first will no longer be a dream, it will be a reality enjoyed by every young woman on this planet.

　　有人问过什么是我的中国梦，我说我希望所有孩子，特别是女孩，都能接受良好的教育。这个就是我的中国梦。我坚信，总有一天，“教育第一”的梦想，将不会只是一个梦想，将会成为全世界年轻女性共享的美好现实。

　　Thank you very much!

　　谢谢大家！

 

      来源：沪江英语网 日期：2015年9月29日

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