第二篇 Passage 2

Opening Remarks by Finnish President Tarja Halonen at the Millennium Summit

6-Sep-00

Mr. President,

Mr. Secretary-General,

Distinguished Heads of State and Government,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We meet today at the United Nations to celebrate the new millennium and to declare our vision for the future. We have come together sent by the peoples of our common globe. We have a mandate and a responsibility. Our vision carries particular authority. It will resonate for years to come and guide the efforts of the international community.

We have a task and we need to fulfill it. Our task is threefold: we need to meet the demands of the outside world; we need to clarify the role of the UN in the world affairs and we need to change the UN to be a modern effective organization.

The world outside this building is changing with an ever-greater speed. Humankind faces both daunting challenges and unprecedented opportunities. We need to act together to address globalization. We must make best of the opportunities and face the challenges with wisdom, justice and courage. It is our responsibility to save the environment-our common heritage-to the future generations.

Human being is in the center of our work. Every human being is valuable. We need to work together as fellow citizens and partners: women and men, black and white, children and adults, rich and poor, strong and weak.

I salute you, Mr. Secretary-General, for your report which has been valuable in inspiring the Millennium Declaration. The overriding theme of your report is globalization, which in itself is an embodiment of the challenges, opportunities and rapid change. We know the causes and many of the consequences of globalization. This gives us an opportunity to influence the change for the better. This is the core of your report and the resolute message of our Declaration.

We the peoples make the critical choices. A global marketplace is an effective means of creating and distributing wealth, but it must be governed by a fair set of rules, by the people and for the people. Also at the national level, the key to development and progress is democracy, respect for human rights, rule of law and good governance. Without a solid domestic foundation, a country will fail even under the best of global rules.

Our planet is a global village, but not all the houses are alike. This village suffers from poverty. To eradicate poverty, we need solidarity. Solidarity grows from individuals.

There is a continued need for multilateralism. In an interdependent world, no nation is an island and everybody’s fortunes are linked. The United Nations is the stronghold of multilateralism and should continue to be so. This Millennium summit is the moment to reflect on the future of the United Nations. The United Nations is often the only one out in the field to assist, to advise and to build institutions. It is imperative that the Member States give it the means and resources that enable the Organization to fulfill its mandate.

We cannot expect the United Nations to accomplish everything alone. To be successful and credible it must act in partnership with other Organizations and with the civil society. We must make the Organization reflect the world as it is today.

I have thus declared the Millennium Summit open. Let us feel the humility and a sense of history of this moment. Let us turn this into an event which will make a difference. Let us also use to the fullest the opportunity to meet together and bilaterally, and to reach a meeting of minds, Let us feel our responsibility towards our fellow citizens, We have the means if we have the will. Let us make this Millennium Summit a great success!

课文词语 Words and Expressions from the Text

Heads of State and Government 国家元首和政府首脑

mandate 授权

to resonate 回响；反响

threefold 三部分的；三重的

daunting challenges 严峻的挑战

to address 应对；处理

embodiment 体现；化身

multilateralism 多边主义

to reflect on 考虑；深思

the civil society 民间团体

humility 谦逊；谦恭

a meeting of minds 意见一致