What the World Can Learn From Ukraine’s Fight for Democracy | Olesya Khromeychuk | TED

翻译人员: 王 思媛 校对人员: suya f.

In Ukrainian, the word for a vote is the same as that for a voice: holos.

在乌克兰语中，投票和声音 是同一个词：голос。

So to cast your vote for someone is to literally give them your voice.

因此，把你的票投给某人， 从字面上来说，就是把你的声音给他。

And it makes sense.

这说的通。

By choosing our political representatives, we lend them our voice.

我们投选出自己的政治代表， 让渡出自己的发言权。

If they misuse it, it can render us voiceless.

如果他们滥用这项权利， 我们的声音就会减弱。

But if they use it well, it can amplify our voice,

但如果他们善用它， 我们的声音就会放大，

making sure that it is heard.

就能确保它被听见。

放大沉默者的声音是民主的核心。

Amplifying the voices of the silenced is at the heart of democracy.

Now you might wonder why on Earth this Ukrainian thinks

现在你可能想知道，

为什么这个乌克兰人认为她可以谈民主。

that she can talk about democracy.

As a historian, surely I should know that my country has been locked

作为一名历史学家，我当然该知道，

直到最近，我的国家都被 这样或那样的帝国所束缚，

in an empire of one sort or another until recently,

且从重新独立以来，

and has been struggling with corruption and other challenges

since it regained independence.

一直在同腐败和其他挑战作斗争。

And you'll be right to wonder that.

你会对此感到疑惑也很正常。

But I would like to suggest that those are the reasons

但我要指出，

这正是我有资格谈论民主的原因。

that qualify me to talk about democracy.

In spite of numerous obstacles throughout their history,

尽管一路走来困难重重，

Ukrainians continued to walk the road to democracy.

乌克兰人仍坚持在这条民主之路上。

In spite of numerous attempts by our rulers,

尽管统治者们， 从俄罗斯沙皇到共产主义独裁者，

from the Russian tsars to communist dictators, to silence us,

不厌其烦地尝试让我们噤声，

we found ways of making our voices heard.

我们还是找到了发声之路。

And I'd like to focus on three lessons that we could learn from Ukrainians

我想重点介绍可以 从乌克兰人那学到的三点教训。

它们可以帮助我们在 世界上的任何地方放大声音：

that can help us strengthen our voices wherever we are in the world:

毅力、

perseverance,

unity and vision.

团结和远见。

Let me start with perseverance.

让我从毅力开始。

States that haven’t enjoyed a long history of self-rule

在由有悠久民主传统的国家 主导的讨论中，

don't tend to be taken seriously

它们往往不会认真对待 自治历史不长的国家。

in discussions that are dominated by nations

with a long democratic tradition.

What could a young state possibly contribute

尚且年轻的国家能为 民主相关的对话做出什么贡献？

to a conversation about democracy?

It's only just learning how to be democratic.

它只是在学习如何实现民主。

When I experienced the sort of dismissal of a Ukrainian voice

当我在一些国际讨论中， 遇到乌克兰人的声音被拒之门外时，

in some international discussions,

it reminded me of a situation

我想起了一个类似的场景：

when a young woman's experience is dismissed by a group of older men.

一群年长男性共同排斥一位年轻女性。

She can't possibly have anything of value to contribute

她不可能对“严肃对话”做出什么 有价值的贡献，对吗？

to a serious conversation, can she?

Naturally, I like to challenge that view.

当然，我乐于挑战这种观点。

Ukraine's history of statelessness

乌克兰这段无国籍状态的历史表明，

demonstrates that living under oppressive regimes,

生活在政权压迫之下，

Ukrainians learned the value of freedom.

乌克兰人明白了自由的价值。

For us, it's not something to be taken for granted.

对我们来说，自由并非理所当然。

It’s something to be fought for and, once gained, protected.

它值得我们为之抗争，

一旦获得，就需加以保护。

Another legacy of statelessness

无国籍状态的另一个遗产是：

is the fact that we don't have a tradition of revering rulers.

我们没有崇拜统治者的传统。

In fact, we're pretty suspicious of political leaders.

实际上，我们非常怀疑那些政治领导人。

Those who have tried to hold on to power and flirted with authoritarianism

那些试图保住权力、沉迷于专制主义的人

got a taste of democracy in action.

在行动中体验到了民主的味道。

"Democratia," after all, means "people power."

毕竟，“Democratia” ， 意为 “人民的力量”。

Ukrainians take to the streets at least once a decade

乌克兰人至少每十年会走上街头一次，

to protect their freedom.

去保护自己的自由。

Many of you might remember the last major protests

很多人可能还记得，

2013-2014 年在乌克兰 发生的最后一次重大抗议活动。

that took place in Ukraine in 2013-2014.

They came to be known as the Revolution of Dignity.

后来将其称为“尊严革命”。

Peaceful protesters came out to the squares all over Ukraine

和平示威者来到乌克兰的各个广场，

to demonstrate against corruption and abuse of power

示威反对当时的总统贪腐滥权。

by the president of the time.

One of the iconic figures for those protesters was Taras Shevchenko,

示威者中的标志性人物之一是

塔拉斯·舍甫琴科。

an 19th-century Ukrainian poet

他是一位 19 世纪的乌克兰诗人，

被誉为乌克兰国家的创始人。

who is known as the founder of the Ukrainian nation.

The poems that he wrote

19 世纪，他在被征服、 无国籍的乌克兰写下诗歌，

in the subjugated, stateless Ukraine of the 19th century

fueled protesters in 21st-century Ukraine

点燃了 21 世纪乌克兰抗议者

as they fought to consolidate democracy.

为巩固民主而奋斗之火。

One of the first protesters killed by the riot police was Serhiy Nigoyan.

最早被防暴警察杀害的抗议者之一是

谢尔盖·尼果扬。

The last footage of Serhiy from the protests

谢尔盖在抗议活动中的最后一段镜头

is of him reciting Shevchenko's poem,

记录了他背诵舍甫琴科的诗歌。

and the most famous line is: “Boritesia - poborete.”

其中最著名的诗句是：

“Boritesia -

poborete“。

“Keep fighting, and you will prevail.”

“继续战斗，你就会胜利。”

In other words, persevere.

换句话说，坚持不懈。

The Revolution of Dignity ended in the victory of the people.

尊严革命以人民的胜利告终。

The corrupt president fled the country,

贪腐的总统逃离了乌克兰，

and the nation was able to choose a new leadership

国家得以在自由且公平的选举中

in a free and fair election.

选出新的领导层。

The country was en route to consolidating its democratic institutions.

乌克兰处在巩固其民主体制之时，

But threatened by people power on its doorstep,

却受到来自家门口的人民力量的威胁。

the Kremlin started a war against Ukraine in 2014.

克里姆林宫于 2014 年展开了 对乌克兰的战争。

A flourishing democracy next door is a scary thing for an autocrat.

对于独裁者来说，

一墙之隔就是欣欣向荣 的民主国家总是令人生畏。

So Ukrainians continue to persevere to protect their freedom,

因此，乌克兰人持之以恒，

守护着他们的自由。

but now we also have to do so on the battlefield.

如今，在战场上， 我们也得这么做。

Let me now turn to unity.

现在我来谈谈团结。

The protester, Serhiy Nigoyan, was Armenian by ethnicity.

按种族划分，

抗议者谢尔盖·尼果扬是亚美尼亚人。

His participation in the Ukrainian nationhood

他参与争取乌克兰独立是一项政治选择。

was a political choice.

A multiethnic, multicultural, multilingual nation,

乌克兰，一个多民族、 多文化、多语言的国家，

Ukraine has been deliberately presented by the Kremlin

却被克里姆林宫故意描述、

and misunderstood by much of the world as divided.

被世界公众误解为国家分裂。

In reality, diversity makes this political nation only more united

实际上，只有在危急时刻，

多样性才能成为这个国家的粘合剂。

in times of crisis.

For instance, Crimean Tatars know very well

例如，克里米亚鞑靼人非常清楚

what it means to suffer from colonization and repression.

遭受殖民和镇压意味着什么。

They were deported from Crimea, their homeland, in 1944 by Stalin,

1944 年，他们被斯大林赶出家园， 赶出克里米亚，

and have been persecuted

且自 2014 年以来一直受到迫害，

by the Russian occupying authorities since 2014.

被俄罗斯占领当局。

That is why you will find them fighting in the Ukrainian Armed Forces

这就是为什么你会发现

他们与波兰、犹太人、

for the liberation of all parts of Ukraine,

罗马尼亚人或任何其他出身的人，

alongside Ukrainians of Polish, Jewish,

一起在乌克兰武装部队中，

为解放乌克兰所有地区而战。

Romanian or any other backgrounds.

Protecting the rights of one group supports the protection of all.

保护一个群体的权利 就是保护所有群体的权利。

Ukrainians have an official Day of Unity.

乌克兰人有正式的团结日。

It is celebrated on January 22.

它于 1 月 22 日庆祝。

The date is chosen because on January 22, 1919,

之所以选择这个日期， 是因为在 1919 年 1 月 22 日以前

Ukrainian lands that had previously been ruled

由哈布斯堡王朝和罗曼诺夫家族统治的

by the Habsburgs and the Romanovs

乌克兰土地通过《统一条约》

united into one state through the Treaty of Unity.

统一为一个州。

That state didn't last long,

那个国家并没有持续很长时间，

but the experience of unity and sovereignty left a powerful legacy.

但是团结和主权的经历 留下了强大的遗产。

That is why on January 22, 2022,

这就是为什么 在 2022 年 1 月 22 日，

just a month before the start of the full-scale invasion,

也就是全面入侵开始前一个月，

when the Russian troops were all around the Ukrainian borders, ready to attack,

当俄罗斯军队遍布乌克兰 边境准备进攻时，

该国不同地区的乌克兰

citizens of Ukraine in different parts of the country

公民

formed a human chain

组成了一条人链，

in celebration of the past and in defense of the future.

以庆祝过去和保卫未来。

And this brings me to vision.

这使我想到了愿景。

The vision of Ukraine as a democratic, united country,

乌克兰作为一个民主、团结、

free of imperial oppression

不受帝国压迫

has its roots in a time when independence and democracy could only be a dream.

的国家的愿景起源于独立 和民主只能成为梦想的时代。

But it is people that make dreams come true.

但是，让梦想成真的是人。

I know it.

我知道。

I watched one such dream become a reality.

我看着一个这样的梦想变成了现实。

It was on December 1, 1991.

那是 1991 年 12 月 1 日。

I was seven at the time.

当时我才七岁。

It was the first taste of democracy for me, but also for my country.

这对我来说是第一次体验民主， 对我的国家来说也是如此。

I was born when Ukraine was still part of the USSR.

我是在乌克兰 还是苏联的一部分时出生的。

I caught the tail end of the crumbling Soviet empire.

我看到了摇摇欲坠 的苏联帝国的尽头。

They held regular but utterly pointless elections.

他们定期举行 但毫无意义的选举。

Elections with only one winning candidate.

只有一名候选人获胜的选举。

I witnessed the implementation of a social contract that said,

我亲眼目睹了一项社会契约 的实施，上面写着：

"we'll pretend to give you a vote and you'll pretend to elect us."

“我们会假装给你投票， 你就会假装选举我们。”

On December 1, 1991 everything was different.

1991 年 12 月 1 日， 一切都不同了。

No more pretending.

别再假装了

This was for real.

这是真的。

The nation was being asked to determine its future in a referendum.

国家被要求在全民公 决中决定自己的未来。

There was only one question to answer:

只有一个问题要回答：

"Do you support the act of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine?"

“你支持《乌克兰独立宣言》吗？”

The turnout was 84 percent.

投票率为 84％。

Almost 30 million people.

将近三千万人。

Over 90 percent of those who voted said yes.

超过90％的投票者说“是”。

The USSR was dissolved a week later.

一周后，苏联解体。

Now, if that is not people power, I don't know what is.

现在，如果那不是人的力量， 我不知道那是什么。

The experience of witnessing this referendum

目睹这次公投 的经历对我产生

had a profound effect on me.

了深远的影响。

I remember my entire family

我记得我全家

dressing in our finest traditional embroidered shirts,

穿着我们最好的 传统刺绣衬衫

vyshyvanki,

vyshyvanki，

to go to the polling station.

去投票站。

It felt like a holiday. And perhaps it was.

感觉就像在度假。 也许确实如此。

Gaining freedom is definitely something worth celebrating.

获得自由绝对是值得庆祝的事情。

Generations of Ukrainians before 1991

1991 年之前，几代乌克兰人 对国家的未来抱

had a vision of the future for their country,

有远见，

but their voices were silenced.

但他们的声音被压制了。

My parents' generation managed to get their voices heard

我父母这一代人 设法让他们的声音被听见，

and willed that vision into being.

并将这一愿景付诸实践。

It is up to my generation and those who come after

我们这一代 人和其后的人有责任

to protect that vision of a democratic Ukraine.

保护民主乌克兰的愿景。

So the three lessons from Ukraine are simple,

因此，从乌克兰吸取 的三个教训很简单，

and we can turn to them wherever we are facing the fight for democracy.

无论我们面临争取民主的斗争， 我们都可以借鉴它们。

Have a vision of the future that is worth fighting for.

对未来 有一个值得为之奋斗的愿景。

Be united in that fight.

在这场战斗中团结起来。

And all you’ll need to succeed will be perseverance.

而成功所需要的只是 毅力。

And if there's one thing Ukrainians do know about democracy

而且，如果说乌克兰人对民主 确实了解一件事的话，

is that it's really hard work,

那就是这确实是一项艰苦的工作，

but it pays off.

但会带来回报。

Taras Shevchenko, the 19th-century poet I cited at the start of my talk,

我在演讲开始时引用的 19 世纪诗人 塔拉斯·舍甫琴科出生于农奴制。

was born into serfdom.

生来就是农奴。

He had no power, no political voice.

他没有权力，没有政治发言权。

Eventually he was bought out of serfdom, but his freedom continued to be limited.

最终，他被剥夺了农奴身份， 但他的自由仍然受到限制。

As soon as his fiery poetry criticizing Russian imperial oppression

他的批评俄罗斯帝国压迫

was discovered,

的激烈诗歌一被发现，

he was imprisoned, sent to serve in the imperial army

他就被监禁， 被派往帝国军

for ten years as a private

中以私人身份服役十年，

and banned from writing.

并被禁止写作。

So he was robbed of his voice for a second time.

因此，他第二次被剥夺了发言权。

And yet his poetic voice was so powerful

然而，他的诗歌声音是如此强大，

that the verses he wrote

以至于他写的诗句

not only survived the repression of his times

不仅在他那个时代的压迫中幸存下来，

but also fueled and sustained the future generations

而且还为为争取独立而战 的子孙后代注入了

who fought for and achieved independence.

活力和持续力。

In September 2022, when the soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces

2022 年 9 月， 当乌克兰武装部队士兵

解放哈尔科夫地区的巴拉克利亚市时，

were liberating the city of Balakliya in the Kharkiv region,

他们撕毁了一张 描绘俄罗斯国旗的广告牌海报

they tore down a billboard poster depicting the Russian flag

和标语，上面写着：

and a slogan which said, "We are one nation with Russia."

“我们与俄罗斯同为一个国家”。

It had been put there by the occupying Russian authorities.

它是由俄罗斯占领当局放置在那里的。

Underneath that poster was another, predating the occupation.

那张海报下面是另一张 在占领之前的海报。

It was a portrait of Taras Shevchenko and the famous lines from his poem:

这是塔拉斯·舍甫琴科的肖像 和他的诗歌中的著名台词：

“Boritesia - poborete.”

“Boritesia — poborete”。

Keep fighting, and you will prevail.

继续战斗，你就会获胜。

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Applause)

（掌声）