英国女王 | 苏格兰议会20周年庆典致辞

Presiding Officer, First Minister, Members of the Scottish Parliament, 

苏格兰议会议长，苏格兰首席大臣，各位苏格兰议会议员们：

The Duke of Rothesay and I are pleased to join you today in marking the Twentieth Anniversary of the Scottish Parliament. We fondly remember that proud day, when new Members gathered in the Assembly Hall to celebrate Scotland’s first parliament in 300 years. 

我与罗萨西公爵今天非常高兴能加入诸位共同纪念苏格兰议会成立20周年。我们还记得那无比自豪的一天，新当选的苏格兰议员们聚在议事大厅，共同庆祝苏格兰300年来首个议会的诞生。

I have noted on previous occasions my great affection for Scotland, and the many happy and personal connections I enjoy with this wonderful country. It has been with great pleasure that over the years, I have watched Scotland grow and prosper, and have been with you at each stage of your parliamentary life, including on landmark occasions such as today. 

我曾在不同场合多次表达过对苏格兰的热爱与钟情，我与这片土地有着许多美妙而又密切的个人情结。因此，我感到尤为欣慰，能够亲眼见证苏格兰这些年来的发展与繁荣，并与你们一起参与到苏格兰议会生活的各个阶段，包括像今天这样具有里程碑意义的场合。

Twenty years on, this chamber continues to be at the centre of Scottish life, as an important forum to engage and unite diverse communities and also a home for passionate debate and discussion. Through new initiatives, you continue to strive to be responsive and accountable to the people you serve, and to engage and involve those who might not otherwise participate in political debate.

20年过去了，这座议事大厅继续承担重则，它不仅是苏格兰政治生活的中心，也是让不同群体参与其中并团结联合的重要论坛，更是激发辩论与探讨，让观点碰撞交织的家园。通过全新举措，你们将继续殚精竭虑，为你们所服务的人民作出更多回应，承担更多责任并让那些可能无意参与政治讨论的人也开始参与议政。

It is perhaps worth reflecting that at the heart of the word “Parliament” lies its original meaning: a place to talk. I have no doubt that for most of these last twenty years, this striking chamber has provided exactly that, a place to talk. But of course, it must also be a place to listen - a place to hear views that inevitably may differ quite considerably, one from another - and a place to honour those views.

还有一点或许也值得我们思考，“议会”的核心意义在于这个词的初始含义：一个“交谈”的地方。毫无疑问，在过去的20年里，苏格兰议会都肩负起这一责任：提供交谈的场所。但同时，它也必须是一个懂得“倾听”的场所。在这个场所，人们会愿意倾听，那些不可避免出现的态度迥异，意见相左的观点，同时，也对这些不同的观点表示尊重。

In turn, this occasion today gives us all an opportunity to honour those who help turn talk into action, not just Members of the Scottish Parliament but all those behind the scenes - the many unseen, unsung individuals who are not afforded recognition by the nature of their role in Parliament, but who, nonetheless, join together to support parliamentary work in the service of others, and the success of the nation as a whole.

今天这一场合给我们所有人以机会来感谢那些将“交谈讨论”转化为“实际行动”的人，不仅仅是苏格兰议会的议员，还有许多幕后人员，那些无人关注的，默默无闻的工作人员。虽然他们为议会发挥的重要作用甚少得到公开认可，但正是他们所有人成就了议会为人民服务的工作，也成就了整个英国的成功。

Presiding Officer, as we look to the future, it is my sincere hope that this Parliament, and all those who come to serve in it, will use the power of this chamber to celebrate those invisible pillars of our communities, and follow their example by working tirelessly to improve people’s lives, and strengthen the bonds of friendship and partnership both at home and abroad. 

苏格兰议长，在我们展望未来之际，我诚挚地希望这座议会和所有在议会中为人民服务的工作人员都能发挥这座议会的力量，共同弘扬我们社会中那些“无形支柱”的精神，并以这些人为榜样，通过不懈努力改善人民生活。同时，还要在国内外继续深化友谊，加强伙伴关系纽带。

Today, with the echo of excitement and enthusiasm I encountered twenty years ago, I extend to you all my warmest good wishes on this special anniversary, for the continuing prosperity of the people of Scotland, and for those who represent them in this remarkable Parliament.

今天，怀带着20年前的那份激动与热情，在这个特殊的周年纪念日，我要向你们致以最诚挚的祝福。祝愿苏格兰人民繁荣富足，幸福安康！祝愿在这个非凡议会中代表苏格兰人民的议员们幸福久长！