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

譯者: Lilian Chiu

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

在烏克蘭語中，「投票」

和「聲音」是同一個字：holos。

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

因此，把票投給某人， 也就是把你的聲音交給這個人。

And it makes sense.

這很合理。

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

選擇我們的政治代表也就是 把我們的聲音借給他們。

If they misuse it, it can render us voiceless.

如果他們濫用我們的聲音， 就會讓我們無法發言。

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

但如果他們善用我們的聲音， 可以把我們的聲音放大，

making sure that it is heard.

確保我們的聲音被聽見。

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

放大被壓制者的聲音，

正是民主的核心。

Now you might wonder why on Earth this Ukrainian thinks

各位可能在納悶，到底為什麼 這個烏克蘭人認為她可以

that she can talk about democracy.

談論民主。

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

身為歷史學家，我當然知道 我的國家一直被困在某種帝國中，

in an empire of one sort or another until recently,

直到最近才改變，

and has been struggling with corruption and other challenges

這個國家重新取得獨立之後，也一直

since it regained independence.

為腐敗和其他難題所苦。

And you'll be right to wonder that.

各位確實該對此感到納悶。

但我認為，正是這些理由

But I would like to suggest that those are the reasons

that qualify me to talk about democracy.

讓我有資格來談論民主。

In spite of numerous obstacles throughout their history,

儘管在歷史上經歷了許多障礙， 烏克蘭人持續朝向

Ukrainians continued to walk the road to democracy.

民主邁進。

In spite of numerous attempts by our rulers,

儘管我們的統治者，從俄國沙皇 到共產黨獨裁者，數次嘗試

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

將我們噤聲，

we found ways of making our voices heard.

我們還是找到方法 讓我們的聲音被聽見。

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

我想把焦點放在我們可以 向烏克蘭人學習的三課，

不論身處在世界的哪個角落， 都能協助我們增強我們的聲音：

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

perseverance,

堅毅、

unity and vision.

團結，

和願景。

Let me start with perseverance.

讓我從堅毅談起。

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

自治歷史不夠長的國家，

don't tend to be taken seriously

在有長期民主傳統的國家 所主導的討論中

in discussions that are dominated by nations

with a long democratic tradition.

通常不會被認真看待。

What could a young state possibly contribute

一個年輕的國家怎麼可能對 關於民主的談話做出貢獻？

to a conversation about democracy?

It's only just learning how to be democratic.

它才不過剛開始學習如何做民主。

When I experienced the sort of dismissal of a Ukrainian voice

當我在一些國際討論中

遇到這種烏克蘭聲音 被忽視的情況時，

in some international discussions,

it reminded me of a situation

會讓我想到這種情境：

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

一群老男人忽視 一名年輕女子的經驗。

She can't possibly have anything of value to contribute

在嚴肅的談話中她不可能 有任何價值可以貢獻，對吧？

to a serious conversation, can she?

Naturally, I like to challenge that view.

我很自然會想挑戰這種觀點。

Ukraine's history of statelessness

烏克蘭不屬於任何國家的這段歷史 呈現出的是生活在壓迫的政權下

demonstrates that living under oppressive regimes,

Ukrainians learned the value of freedom.

讓烏克蘭人學到了自由的價值。

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

對我們來說，自由不是理所當然的。

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

自由是要努力爭取的，

且一旦得到了，還要去保護它。

Another legacy of statelessness

不屬於任何國家造成的另一個結果 是我們沒有尊敬統治者的傳統。

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

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

事實上，我們對政治領袖 還蠻抱持懷疑的。

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

那些試圖掌權並和 威權主義打交道的人

got a taste of democracy in action.

嚐到了民主運作的滋味。

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

畢竟「民主」的拉丁文 意思是「人民力量」。

Ukrainians take to the streets at least once a decade

烏克蘭人至少每十年走上街頭 一次，去保護他們的自由。

to protect their freedom.

Many of you might remember the last major protests

很多人可能還記得 2013 年

到 2014 年間，烏克蘭 最後的重大抗議活動。

that took place in Ukraine in 2013-2014.

They came to be known as the Revolution of Dignity.

它們後來被稱為尊嚴革命。

Peaceful protesters came out to the squares all over Ukraine

和平的抗議者聚集在 烏克蘭各地的廣場，

to demonstrate against corruption and abuse of power

示威抗議當時總統的 腐敗和權力濫用。

by the president of the time.

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

抗議者的代表性人物之一 就是塔拉斯‧謝甫琴科，

an 19th-century Ukrainian poet

他是十九世紀的烏克蘭詩人，

who is known as the founder of the Ukrainian nation.

也被稱為是烏克蘭國家的創始人。

The poems that he wrote

在十九世紀受到壓迫且沒有 所屬國家的烏克蘭，他寫的詩

in the subjugated, stateless Ukraine of the 19th century

fueled protesters in 21st-century Ukraine

激勵了二十一世紀烏克蘭的抗議者，

as they fought to consolidate democracy.

讓他們努力奮鬥鞏固民主。

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

鎮暴警察最先殺害的抗議者之一

是謝爾蓋‧尼果揚。

The last footage of Serhiy from the protests

尼果揚在抗議活動影片中留下的 最後身影是他引述謝甫琴科的詩，

is of him reciting Shevchenko's poem,

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

其中最有名的句子是：

「Boritesia - poborete。」

“Keep fighting, and you will prevail.”

「繼續戰鬥，你就會戰勝。」

In other words, persevere.

換言之，就是堅毅。

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

尊嚴革命的結局是人民獲勝。

The corrupt president fled the country,

腐敗的總統逃到國外， 烏克蘭得以選出新的領袖，

and the nation was able to choose a new leadership

in a free and fair election.

且是透過自由、公平的選舉選出。

The country was en route to consolidating its democratic institutions.

烏克蘭正在鞏固 其民主制度的過程中，

But threatened by people power on its doorstep,

但，受到近在眼前的人民力量威脅，

the Kremlin started a war against Ukraine in 2014.

克里姆林宮在 2014 年 對烏克蘭發動戰爭。

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

獨裁者相當害怕隔壁 就有民主在蓬勃發展。

So Ukrainians continue to persevere to protect their freedom,

烏克蘭人繼續堅毅地 保護他們的自由。

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

但現在，我們也得在戰場上這麼做。

Let me now turn to unity.

接下來談談團結。

The protester, Serhiy Nigoyan, was Armenian by ethnicity.

抗議者謝爾蓋‧尼果揚的 人種是亞美尼亞人。

His participation in the Ukrainian nationhood

他參與烏克蘭的國家建立， 是個政治上的選擇。

was a political choice.

A multiethnic, multicultural, multilingual nation,

身為一個多人種、多文化、

多語言的國家，烏克蘭一直 被克里姆林宮刻意描繪成

Ukraine has been deliberately presented by the Kremlin

and misunderstood by much of the world as divided.

分裂的國家，全世界 也幾乎都誤信了。

In reality, diversity makes this political nation only more united

實際上，多元性只是讓這個政治國家

在危機時期更團結。

in times of crisis.

For instance, Crimean Tatars know very well

比如，克里米亞韃靼人非常清楚 受到殖民和鎮壓是什麼樣子的。

what it means to suffer from colonization and repression.

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

1944 年，史達林把他們 從他們的家鄉克里米亞驅逐，

and have been persecuted

且從 2014 年起就一直受到 俄羅斯佔領勢力的迫害。

by the Russian occupying authorities since 2014.

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

這就是為什麼你會發現他們

加入烏克蘭武裝部隊， 為烏克蘭各地的自由而戰，

for the liberation of all parts of Ukraine,

alongside Ukrainians of Polish, Jewish,

和波蘭裔、猶太裔、羅馬尼亞裔， 或其他背景的烏克蘭人並肩而戰。

Romanian or any other backgrounds.

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

保護一個族群的權利

支持對所有人的保護。

Ukrainians have an official Day of Unity.

烏克蘭人有個正式的團結日。

It is celebrated on January 22.

訂在一月二十二日。

The date is chosen because on January 22, 1919,

選擇這一天是因為 1919 年的一月二十二日，

Ukrainian lands that had previously been ruled

哈布斯堡家族和羅曼諾夫家族 過去統治的烏克蘭土地

by the Habsburgs and the Romanovs

united into one state through the Treaty of Unity.

透過統一條約，合併為一個國家。

That state didn't last long,

那個國家沒有持續很久，

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

統一和擁有主權的經驗

留下了強大的影響。

That is why on January 22, 2022,

這就是為什麼在 2022 年一月二十二日，

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

展開全面入侵的前一個月，

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

當俄羅斯部隊聚集在烏克蘭 邊界各處準備好攻擊時，

citizens of Ukraine in different parts of the country

烏克蘭各地的公民

formed a human chain

組成了一條人鏈，

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

以慶祝過去，

並捍衛未來。

And this brings me to vision.

說到這，就要談到遠景了。

The vision of Ukraine as a democratic, united country,

烏克蘭成為民主、統一的 國家且擺脫帝國壓迫的遠景，

free of imperial oppression

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

起源於當獨立和民主 只是美夢的時代。

But it is people that make dreams come true.

但，能讓美夢成真的，是人。

I know it.

我知道。

I watched one such dream become a reality.

我見證過一個這樣的美夢成為現實。

It was on December 1, 1991.

那天是 1991 年十二月一日。

I was seven at the time.

我當時七歲，我和我的國家 都是初嚐民主的滋味，

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

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

我出生時，烏克蘭 還是蘇聯的一部分。

I caught the tail end of the crumbling Soviet empire.

我有經歷到蘇維埃帝國 垮台的最後一段時期。

They held regular but utterly pointless elections.

他們會定期舉辦毫無意義的選舉，

Elections with only one winning candidate.

只有一位必勝候選人的選舉。

I witnessed the implementation of a social contract that said,

我親眼目睹他們實施的社會契約是：

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

「我們會假裝讓你投票， 而你會假裝選我們。」

On December 1, 1991 everything was different.

在 1991 年十二月一日， 一切都不同了。

No more pretending.

不用再假裝了。

This was for real.

是來真的。

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

烏克蘭被要求要用 公投決定它的未來。

There was only one question to answer:

要公投的問題只有一個：

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

「你支持烏克蘭宣告獨立嗎？」

The turnout was 84 percent.

投票率是 84%，

Almost 30 million people.

近三千萬人。

Over 90 percent of those who voted said yes.

投票的人當中有超過 90% 都表示贊成。

The USSR was dissolved a week later.

一週後，蘇聯解體。

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

如果那還不叫人民力量， 我就不知道什麼才是了。

The experience of witnessing this referendum

見證這場公投的經驗 對我有深遠的影響。

had a profound effect on me.

I remember my entire family

我記得我全家

dressing in our finest traditional embroidered shirts,

都穿上我們最好的傳統 刺繡衫（vyshyvanki），

vyshyvanki,

to go to the polling station.

前往投票所。

那天感覺像假日。也許的確是。

It felt like a holiday. And perhaps it was.

Gaining freedom is definitely something worth celebrating.

獲得自由絕對是值得慶祝的事。

Generations of Ukrainians before 1991

1991 年之前的烏克蘭世代 對他們國家的未來有個遠景，

had a vision of the future for their country,

but their voices were silenced.

但他們的聲音被壓制了。

My parents' generation managed to get their voices heard

我父母的那一代想辦法 讓他們的聲音被聽到，

and willed that vision into being.

並實現了那個遠景。

It is up to my generation and those who come after

現在要靠我的世代和之後的世代

to protect that vision of a democratic Ukraine.

來保護那個民主烏克蘭的遠景。

So the three lessons from Ukraine are simple,

因此，烏克蘭教我們的三課很簡單，

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

每當我們面臨要為民主 而戰時，都可以搬出來用。

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

要擁有值得為它而戰的未來願景。

Be united in that fight.

在那場戰鬥中團結一致，

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

那麼你只需要堅毅，就可以成功。

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

若說烏克蘭人對民主有點了解， 那就是：它真的得來不易，

is that it's really hard work,

but it pays off.

但，是努力值得的。

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

我在演說開頭引用的十九世紀 詩人塔拉斯‧謝甫琴科，

was born into serfdom.

他出生在農奴制度中。

He had no power, no political voice.

他沒有權力，沒有政治聲音。

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

最終，他被贖出農奴制度， 但他的自由仍然受限。

As soon as his fiery poetry criticizing Russian imperial oppression

但他批評俄羅斯帝國壓迫的 激烈詩作被發現後，

was discovered,

he was imprisoned, sent to serve in the imperial army

他便被監禁，

被派到帝國軍隊中當十年的士兵，

for ten years as a private

and banned from writing.

且被禁止寫作。

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

所以，他的聲音再次被奪去。

And yet his poetic voice was so powerful

但他的詩作擁有強大的聲音，

that the verses he wrote

他寫的詩句

not only survived the repression of his times

不僅在他所處的那個 壓制時代中存活下來，

but also fueled and sustained the future generations

還激勵和支持了

為獨立而戰且成功 取得獨立的未來世代。

who fought for and achieved independence.

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

2022 年九月，

當烏克蘭武裝部隊的士兵去解放 哈爾科夫地區的巴拉克利亞市，

were liberating the city of Balakliya in the Kharkiv region,

they tore down a billboard poster depicting the Russian flag

他們拆掉了一張告示牌海報， 上面有俄羅斯國旗和一句口號：

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

「我們與俄羅斯是一個國家。」

It had been put there by the occupying Russian authorities.

搭建它的是佔領當地的 俄羅斯當權者。

Underneath that poster was another, predating the occupation.

在那張海報下面還有另一張，

在佔領之前就有的。

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

上面是塔拉斯‧謝甫琴科的肖像

以及出自他詩作的詩句：

“Boritesia - poborete.”

「Boritesia - poborete」。

Keep fighting, and you will prevail.

繼續戰鬥，你就會戰勝。

Thank you.

謝謝。

（掌聲）

(Applause)