Making peace is a marathon | May El-Khalil

譯者: Marssi Draw 審譯者: William Choi

I come from Lebanon,

我來自黎巴嫩，

and I believe that running can change the world.

我相信跑步可以改變世界。

I know what I have just said is simply not obvious.

我知道我剛說的並不是那麼簡單明瞭。

You know, Lebanon as a country has been once destroyed

如你所知，黎巴嫩這個國家已經飽受

by a long and bloody civil war.

長期又血腥的內戰摧殘。

Honestly, I don't know why they call it civil war

老實說，我不懂為什麼人們稱它為內戰，

when there is nothing civil about it.

在它已失去文明的時候。

With Syria to the north, Israel and Palestine to the south,

北接敘利亞，南連以色列和巴勒斯坦，

and our government even up till this moment

我們的政府即使是此刻

is still fragmented and unstable.

都還支離破碎，動盪不安。

有幾年，這個國家被

For years, the country has been divided between politics and religion.

政治和宗教一分為二。

However, for one day a year,

然而，某年的某一天，

we truly stand united,

我們終於團結統一了，

and that's when the marathon takes place.

那是在馬拉松舉行的時候。

I used to be a marathon runner.

我曾是一名馬拉松跑者，

Long distance running was not only good for my well-being

長距離賽跑不只對我的身心有益，

but it helped me meditate and dream big.

也幫助我沈靜心靈，把夢做大。

So the longer distances I ran,

因此，當我跑得越長，

我的夢想就會越大，

the bigger my dreams became.

Until one fateful morning,

直到命運降臨的那個早晨，

and while training, I was hit by a bus.

我在訓練時被公車撞擊。

I nearly died, was in a coma,

我幾乎沒命了，陷入昏迷，

stayed at the hospital for two years,

待在醫院兩年，

接受了 36 次手術才能再次走路。

and underwent 36 surgeries to be able to walk again.

As soon as I came out of my coma,

在我從昏迷狀態甦醒後，

I realized that I was no longer the same runner I used to be,

我發現自己已不再是同樣的跑者，

so I decided, if I couldn't run myself,

因此，我決定如果我不能跑的話，

I wanted to make sure that others could.

就確保其他人可以跑。

在我離開醫院的病床後，

So out of my hospital bed,

I asked my husband to start taking notes,

我請我的丈夫開始做記錄，

and a few months later, the marathon was born.

幾個月後，

馬拉松誕生了。

Organizing a marathon as a reaction to an accident

籌辦一埸馬拉松作為對意外做出的反應

may sound strange,

聽起來可能有點奇怪，

but at that time, even during my most vulnerable condition,

但是在那時候，即使 處於最容易受傷的狀態，

I needed to dream big.

我都需要有大夢想。

I needed something to take me out of my pain,

我需要某種東西帶我遠離痛苦，

an objective to look forward to.

一個能夠期盼的目標。

I didn't want to pity myself, nor to be pitied,

我不想自憐，也不想被同情，

and I thought by organizing such a marathon,

我想透過辦一場馬拉松，

I'll be able to pay back to my community,

以能回饋我的社區，

build bridges with the outside world,

搭起對外的橋樑，

and invite runners to come to Lebanon

並且邀請跑者來黎巴嫩，

and run under the umbrella of peace.

在和平的保護傘下一同奔跑。

Organizing a marathon in Lebanon

在黎巴嫩籌辦一場馬拉松

is definitely not like organizing one in New York.

絕對和在紐約辦一場完全不同。

How do you introduce the concept of running

你要怎麼介紹跑步的概念，

to a nation that is constantly at the brink of war?

尤其是對長期處於 戰爭爆發邊緣的國家？

How do you ask those who were once fighting

你要怎麼邀請那些曾經參戰、

and killing each other

互相殘殺的人們

to come together and run next to each other?

聚在一起並肩奔跑？

More than that, how do you convince people to run a distance of 26.2 miles

而且，你要怎麼說服人們

要一次跑 26.2 英哩遠（約 42.195 公里），

at a time they were not even familiar with the word "marathon"?

而當他們完全不了解

「馬拉松」這個名詞的時候？

So we had to start from scratch.

因此我們必須從頭開始。

For almost two years, we went all over the country

我們花了將近兩年走遍全國，

and even visited remote villages.

連偏遠的村莊也去了。

I personally met with people from all walks of life --

我親自和各行各業的人見面──

mayors, NGOs, schoolchildren,

市長、非政府組織、學童、

politicians, militiamen,

政治家、民兵，從清真寺、教堂來的人、

people from mosques, churches,

the president of the country, even housewives.

總統，還有家庭主婦。

I learned one thing:

我學到一件事：

When you walk the talk, people believe you.

當你說到做到，人們就會相信你。

Many were touched by my personal story,

我的故事讓許多人很感動，

and they shared their stories in return.

他們也跟我分享自己的故事作為回報。

It was honesty and transparency that brought us together.

是真誠與毫不掩飾讓我們齊聚一堂，

我們用同一種語言溝通，

We spoke one common language to each other,

and that was from one human to another.

那是一個人對另一個人說的。

Once that trust was built,

一旦信任建立了之後，

everybody wanted to be part of the marathon

每個人都想要參與馬拉松，

讓世界看見黎巴嫩真正的樣貌、

to show the world the true colors of Lebanon and the Lebanese

看見黎巴嫩人，

and their desire to live in peace and harmony.

以及他們期盼在和平 與融洽中生存的渴望。

In October 2003, over 6,000 runners

在 2003 年 10 月，超過六千名跑者

from 49 different nationalities

從 49 個不同的國家

came to the start line, all determined,

來到這條起跑線前，堅定不移，

and when the gunfire went off,

當起跑的槍聲響起，

this time it was a signal to run in harmony,

這一次是為了和睦而奔跑，

for a change.

帶來改變的契機。

The marathon grew.

馬拉松種下的的種子發芽了。

So did our political problems.

我們的政治問題也是。

But for every disaster we had,

過去我們曾經歷許多災難，

the marathon found ways to bring people together.

馬拉松找到了讓人們和平共處的方式。

In 2005, our prime minister was assassinated,

2005 年，我們的首相遭到暗殺，

and the country came to a complete standstill,

國家完全陷入停擺，

so we organized a five-kilometer United We Run campaign.

因此我們發起了一場五公里 為團結而跑 (United We Run) 的活動。

Over 60,000 people came to the start line,

超過六萬人來到起跑線前，

all wearing white T-shirts with no political slogans.

所有的人都穿著沒有政治口號的白上衣。

That was a turning point for the marathon,

那是馬拉松的轉捩點，

where people started looking at it as a platform

人們開始把馬拉松當做一個

追求和平與團結的平台。

for peace and unity.

Between 2006 up to 2009, our country, Lebanon,

在 2006 年到 2009 年間， 我們的國家黎巴嫩

went through unstable years,

經歷了動盪的數年，

invasions, and more assassinations

侵略和更多的暗殺行動

that brought us close to a civil war.

讓我們接近內戰爆發的邊緣。

The country was divided again,

這個國家再次分裂，

so much that our parliament resigned,

以致於內閣總辭，

這一年我們沒有總統，也沒有首相。

we had no president for a year, and no prime minister.

But we did have a marathon.

但是我們還有馬拉松。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

透過馬拉松，我們知道

So through the marathon, we learned that political problems can be overcome.

政治問題可以被克服。

When the opposition party decided to shut down part of the city center,

當反對黨決定

關閉部分的市中心，

we negotiated alternative routes.

我們協商出替代方案。

反政府的抗議人士變成了

Government protesters became sideline cheerleaders.

場外的啦啦隊，

They even hosted juice stations.

他們甚至設了果汁攤。

(Laughter)

You know, the marathon has really become one of its kind.

你知道，馬拉松成為了

獨一無二的可能，

It gained credibility

馬拉松得到了

from both the Lebanese and the international community.

黎巴嫩國民和全球的信任。

Last November 2012, over 33,000 runners from 85 different nationalities

2012 年 11 月，超過三萬三千名跑者

從 85 個不同的國家

came to the start line,

來到起跑線前，

but this time, they challenged a very stormy and rainy weather.

但是這次他們挑戰的是

狂風暴雨的天氣。

The streets were flooded, but people didn't want to miss out

街道氾濫成災，但是人們不想錯過

on the opportunity of being part of such a national day.

參與的機會，

尤其是這樣舉國歡騰的一天。

BMA 更加拓展了，

BMA has expanded.

We include everyone: the young, the elderly,

我們包括了所有人：青年、長者、

the disabled, the mentally challenged,

身心障礙者、

the blind, the elite, the amateur runners,

盲人、精英、業餘跑者，

甚至母親和她們的小寶寶。

even moms with their babies.

Themes have included runs for the environment,

跑步主題涵蓋了為環境、

breast cancer, for the love of Lebanon, for peace,

乳癌、為了黎巴嫩之愛、為了和平，

or just simply to run.

或是單純地為了跑而跑。

第一場年度為女性增權而跑的比賽，

The first annual all-women-and-girls race for empowerment,

which is one of its kind in the region,

那是該地區唯一的一場，

has just taken place only a few weeks ago,

在數個星期前才舉行，

with 4,512 women, including the first lady,

總共有 4,512 名女性參加， 包含了第一夫人，

and this is only the beginning.

而這只是起點而已。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

BMA 贊助公益團體和志工，

BMA has supported charities and volunteers

who have helped reshape Lebanon,

他們協助改造黎巴嫩，

raising funds for their causes

為了達成目標而募款，

and encouraging others to give.

並且鼓勵人們伸出援手。

The culture of giving and doing good has become contagious.

做善事和付出的文化

已向外蔓延。

Stereotypes have been broken.

刻板印象已破除，

Change-makers and future leaders have been created.

實踐改變的人才與未來領袖

也已經誕生了。

I believe these are the building blocks for future peace.

我相信這些都是建立未來和平的關鍵，

BMA 在地區中備受矚目，

BMA has become such a respected event in the region

that government officials in the region,

在那個區域的政府官員，

like Iraq, Egypt and Syria,

像是伊拉克、埃及和敘利亞

have asked the organization to help them structure a similar sporting event.

都邀請組織幫助他們籌辦

類似的運動賽事。

現在，我們舉辦的是中東 最大型的跑步賽事之一，

We are now one of the largest running events in the Middle East,

但最重要的是

but most importantly,

it is a platform for hope and cooperation

這是一個希望與合作的平台，

in an ever-fragile and unstable part of the world.

在這日益脆弱又不穩定的世界一角。

From Boston to Beirut, we stand as one.

從波士頓到貝魯特，我們化為一體。

（鼓掌）

(Applause)

After 10 years in Lebanon,

十年後在黎巴嫩，

from national marathons or from national events

從國內的馬拉松或是國內的活動

to smaller regional races,

轉變為整個區域的賽事，我們看到了

we've seen that people want to run for a better future.

人們想要為了更好的未來而跑。

After all, peacemaking is not a sprint.

畢竟，創造和平不只是一句精神口號，

It is more of a marathon.

還不如說是一場馬拉松。

Thank you.

謝謝！

(Applause)

（鼓掌）