Message from Ms. Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, on the Occasion of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples
教科文組織總干事奧德蕾·阿祖萊世界土著(zhù)人民國際日致辭
9 August 2023
2023年8月9日
“He who depletes water prevents his offspring from flourishing.”
“誰(shuí)把水取盡用竭，誰(shuí)就是在斷絕子孫后代的活路。”
The wisdom of this Tahitian proverb resonates strongly today, in the Anthropocene era, when there is increasing climate disruption, and biodiversity is under threat, largely due to human activity. At a time when we urgently need to rethink our relationship with nature and the living world, we have much to learn from the wealth of resources represented by the lifestyles, practices and worldviews of Indigenous Peoples, who have lived for millennia with knowledge of and respect for their natural surroundings.
這句塔希提諺語(yǔ)的智慧，在人類(lèi)世時(shí)代的今天產(chǎn)生著(zhù)強烈的共鳴，因為我們正面臨著(zhù)氣候變化異常和生物多樣性受到威脅的問(wèn)題，而人類(lèi)對此負有主要責任。重建我們與自然和生物的關(guān)系，已成為當務(wù)之急。在這方面，我們可以從數千年來(lái)一直生活在對自然環(huán)境的了解和尊重之中的土著(zhù)人民的生活方式、實(shí)踐和世界觀(guān)中汲取豐富的資源。
That is why UNESCO is committed to the preservation of Indigenous cultures. Today, we celebrate the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, as we do every year, to symbolize our commitment to them, which lies at the heart of our mandate.
正因如此，教科文組織致力于保護這些寶貴資源。我們每年今天慶祝的世界土著(zhù)人民國際日，象征著(zhù)我們在整個(gè)任務(wù)范圍內與土著(zhù)人民攜手并肩的承諾。
In particular, the Programme on Man and the Biosphere has led the way in recognizing the valuable contributions of Indigenous Peoples and communities in guiding us along the path to more sustainable development. The 2022 United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP15) also played a part, highlighting the crucial role of Indigenous Peoples as “guardians of biodiversity”.
特別是人與生物圈計劃，該計劃率先承認土著(zhù)人民和社區在指導我們走上更可持續發(fā)展道路方面作出了寶貴貢獻。《生物多樣性公約》締約方大會(huì )第十五次會(huì )議對此亦有貢獻，這次會(huì )議強調了土著(zhù)人民作為“生物多樣性守護者”的關(guān)鍵作用。
This role is also reflected in the inclusion of elements of Indigenous cultures on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, for example, the ancestral knowledge system of the four indigenous peoples, Arhuaco, Kankuamo, Kogui and Wiwa of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia, listed in 2022, and the year before, Awajún pottery-making in Peru, a tradition, mainly passed down by women, that is emblematic of the harmonious relationship between the Awajún people and nature.
這一作用也體現為土著(zhù)文化元素被列入《人類(lèi)非物質(zhì)文化遺產(chǎn)名錄》。例如，2022 年列入《名錄》的哥倫比亞圣瑪爾塔雪山的阿華科、坎夸莫、科吉和維瓦四個(gè)土著(zhù)民族的傳統知識體系，以及前一年列入《名錄》的秘魯阿瓦琿人陶器，后者象征著(zhù)該民族與自然的和諧關(guān)系，其知識主要由婦女傳播。
We know that Indigenous voices are essential for promoting cultural diversity, peace and gender equality. And yet these voices could be lost, as Indigenous languages – a vehicle for tending this relationship with the living world and each other – are in jeopardy.
土著(zhù)人民的聲音對促進(jìn)文化多樣性、和平和性別平等同樣至關(guān)重要。然而，隨著(zhù)可以解讀與生物和他人之關(guān)系的土著(zhù)語(yǔ)言受到威脅，這些聲音也可能會(huì )消失。
These languages do not belong in the past, and UNESCO is therefore taking action to protect them by leading the International Decade of Indigenous Languages, which was proclaimed by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 2022. We have launched initiatives all over the world, for example in West Africa where the goal is to create dictionaries of Indigenous African languages.
教科文組織深信這些語(yǔ)言不應成為過(guò)去。通過(guò)領(lǐng)導聯(lián)合國大會(huì )2022年宣布的國際土著(zhù)語(yǔ)言十年活動(dòng)，本組織正在動(dòng)員起來(lái)保護這些語(yǔ)言。為此，我們在世界各地開(kāi)展了一些舉措，例如在西非編纂非洲土著(zhù)語(yǔ)言詞典。
We are also stepping up our actions with and for young people, who are on the front line of today’s challenges and whom we seek to engage alongside us. The Hooked on Peace (HOP) initiative in the Asia-Pacific region supports Indigenous youth in documenting stories of gender equality and peacebuilding in their Indigenous languages. It is also the meaning behind this year’s theme, which celebrates the commitment and drive of young Indigenous Peoples to act as agents of change, both in their communities and in the wider world. It is a commitment that is embodied, for example, by the Indigenous Mexican actress Yalitza Aparicio, who was designated as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador in 2019.
我們還加強了針對青年以及與青年合作開(kāi)展的行動(dòng)。青年處在應對時(shí)代挑戰的最前沿，我們應該與他們并肩作戰。例如，亞洲及太平洋地區的“渴望和平”倡議，就致力于支持土著(zhù)青年用土著(zhù)語(yǔ)言記錄與性別平等和建設和平有關(guān)的故事。而這也是今年國際日主題的意義所在，即：弘揚土著(zhù)青年的參與精神和生命活力，使他們成為其社會(huì )內外的變革推動(dòng)者。2019年被任命為教科文組織親善大使的墨西哥土著(zhù)女演員雅利扎·阿巴里西奧（Yalitza Aparicio）身上，就體現著(zhù)這種參與精神。
On this Day, UNESCO calls for a renewed commitment to preserve, promote and give a voice to these ancient heritages, cultures and languages. We must empower young people to take their rightful place in our institutions, so that together we can meet the challenges of the twenty-first century.
值此國際日，教科文組織呼吁致力于更好地保護、促進(jìn)和宣傳這些傳承數千年的遺產(chǎn)、文化和語(yǔ)言，并讓青年在我們的機構中占據應有位置，以便共同應對21世紀的挑戰。
