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Message from Ms. Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, on the Occasion of World Kiswahili Language Day
教科文组织总干事奥德蕾·阿祖莱世界斯瓦希里语日致辞
7 July 2022
2022年7月7日
Kiswahili is a language that speaks to both past and present. With over 200 million speakers, it is one of the most widely used African languages, encompassing more than a dozen main dialects. Over the centuries, this Bantu language has emerged as a common form of communication in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, in addition to the Middle East.
斯瓦希里语是一门同时与过去和当下对话的语言。其使用人数超过2亿，是使用最为广泛的非洲语言之一，且包含十几种主要方言。几个世纪以来，这种班图语已经成为撒哈拉以南非洲众多区域以及中东地区的一种常见交流方式。
As a lingua franca, Kiswahili has incorporated words from other tongues, notably Arabic, while enriching these languages in return. For example, the English word "safari" comes from the Kiswahili word for "journey", which originated as the Arabic verb for "travel", safara. This linguistic exchange highlights the important role Kiswahili plays at the crossroads of world languages.
作为一种通用语，斯瓦希里语吸收了来自其他语言的词汇，特别是阿拉伯语，同时也回馈且丰富了这些语言。例如，英文单词"safari"即借自斯瓦希里语，意为“旅程”，该词又派生自阿拉伯语中表示“旅行”的动词 safara。这种语言交流凸显出斯瓦希里语在世界语言交汇融合中发挥的重要作用。
Kiswahili not only tells a story of dialogue between languages, but also it facilitates dialogue among peoples and countries. Indeed, because Kiswahili shares words and concepts with other African languages, it has an impressive unifying power. This is why the African Union, East African Community and Southern African Development Community have all chosen Kiswahili as one of their official languages. In this way, Kiswahili will play a role in ensuring the African continent realizes its full potential – a goal that UNESCO also works towards, through its Global Priority Africa.
斯瓦希里语不仅述说着不同语言间对话的故事，同时也在促进着不同民族和国家之间的对话。事实上，由于斯瓦希里语与其他非洲语言有着共同的词汇和概念，其凝聚力作用非同寻常。这正是非洲联盟、东非共同体和南部非洲发展共同体都选择将斯瓦希里语作为其正式语言之一的原因所在。如此，斯瓦希里语将发挥促进作用，确保非洲大陆充分发挥其潜能，而这也正是教科文组织通过其总体优先事项“非洲”力图实现的目标。
In addition to being a language of diplomacy and unity, Kiswahili serves as a conduit of culture. From the author and poet Shaaban Robert, a great contributor to Kiswahili literature, to the famous Kiswahili love song Malaika, or "angel", the language is a rich source of cultural expression. Kiswahili includes concepts such as "amani", or peace, a common utterance in daily interactions. "Amani" is not only understood as the absence of conflict, but also as a state of serenity or tranquility. As such, it is something to continuously work towards – a vision that resonates with UNESCO's own conception of peace as an ideal for which to strive.
斯瓦希里语不仅是一种外交和团结的语言，也发挥着文化桥梁的作用。从对斯瓦希里语文学作出巨大贡献的作家兼诗人夏班·罗伯特，到著名的斯瓦希里语情歌 Malaika（即“天使”），这一语言可谓是文化表达的丰富源泉。斯瓦希里语中包含"amani"（即“和平”）等概念。"Amani"是日常互动中的常用语，它不单单被理解为没有冲突，还被理解为一种祥和或安宁的状态。因此，它是一个需要为之不懈努力的目标，而这一愿景与教科文组织自身作为奋斗理想的和平观念不谋而合。
On this inaugural World Day, we celebrate linguistic heritage. We celebrate the cultural richness languages represent. We celebrate the ways we use language to express our values and vision of the world on a personal level, and to facilitate cooperation and development on the societal one.
值此首届世界斯瓦希里语日之际，我们礼赞语言遗产。我们礼赞语言所代表的文化丰富性。我们礼赞我们使用语言在个人层面表达我们的价值观和世界观并在社会层面促进合作与发展的种种方式。
Happy World Kiswahili Language Day! Siku njema ya kimataifa ya kiswahili! Siku njema ya kimataifa ya kiswahili!
世界斯瓦希里语日快乐！
