Message by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
21 May 2021
联合国秘书长古特雷斯世界文化多样性促进对话和发展日致辞
2021年5月21日
Culture is the flower of the human being – the fruit of our minds, the product of our traditions, the expression of our yearnings. Its diversity is wondrous, part of the rich tapestry of civilization.
Culture is also a powerhouse – an employer of millions, an engine of economic progress, a force for social cohesion.
文化也是动力之源，它使数亿人获得就业机会，是经济发展的引擎，社会融合的推动力。
The World Day for Cultural Diversity recognizes this great power.
设立世界文化多样性日是对这一巨大动力的认可。
So does the proclamation of 2021 as the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development.
宣布2021年为国际创意经济促进可持续发展年也是对这一巨大动力的认可。
But these observances fall at a difficult time for culture. The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the world – and it has shaken the culture sector. Across the world, museums have been shuttered, music halls silenced, theatres gone dark, tourist sites abandoned and other cultural pursuits set aside as societies cope with death and disruption.
As vaccines generate hope, the world must ensure that pandemic recovery packages encompass the needs of cultural institutions, the arts and all those who are part of the creative world.
疫苗带来了希望，世界必须确保疫情恢复一揽子计划涵盖文化机构、艺术界和创意界所有人的需求。
At a time of spreading hatred and intolerance, we must not only defend diversity but invest in it. Societies today are multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural. This is a richness, not a threat. But we need to ensure that every community feels that their identity – their culture – is being respected.