中国驻英国大使刘晓明在英国圣玛丽小学孔子课堂签字和揭牌仪式上的讲话 2010年10月21日，伦敦圣玛丽小学
Remarks by H.E.Ambaador Liu Xiaoming at the Signing and Inauguration Ceremony of the Confucius Claroom at the St Mary\'s Primary School 21 October 2010, St Mary’s Bryanston Square CE Primary School, London
为发展中国与世界各国的友好关系，增进世界各国人民对中国语言文化的理解，为各国汉语学习者提供方便、优良的学习条件，中国国家对外汉语教学领导小组办公室将在世界上有需求、有条件的若干国家建设以开展汉语教学为主要活动内容的 “孔子学院”，并在中国北京设立“孔子学院总部”。
尊敬的伦敦南岸大学副校长Beverley Jullien女士， 尊敬的西敏寺市议员Nick Yarker先生， 尊敬的圣玛丽小学董事会主席Clark先生， 尊敬的圣玛丽小学校长Peter Hadfield先生， 尊敬的乐爱妹参赞， 女士们，先生们， 同学们：
Ms Beverley Jullien, Councillor Nick Yarker, Mr Len Clark, Mr Peter Hadfield, Counsellor Le Aimei, Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and girls, 我很高兴出席今天圣玛丽小学孔子课堂的签字和揭牌仪式。我谨代表中国驻英国大使馆对圣玛丽小学孔子课堂的设立表示热烈的祝贺。
It gives me great pleasure to attend the inauguration of the Confucius Claroom at St Mary’s Bryanston Square CE Primary School.I wish to offer my warm congratulations to all of you.我就任中国驻英大使以来，曾经到访英国的许多学校，包括大学和中学，今天是我第一次走进英国的小学。圣玛丽小学与中国有着特殊渊源，因为中国大使馆一些外交官的子女就在圣玛丽小学上学。他们在这里学习英语和各种知识，与老师、同学们相处得十分融洽，学习非常愉快。 I have been to many secondary schools and universities in this country since my arrival in London.But St Mary’s is the first primary school I have ever visited.It has a special bond with the Chinese Embay, as some of my colleagues’ children study here.I’m glad to say that they are enjoying their time at St Mary’s, learning English and other subjects and making friends with teachers and clamates.我曾不止一次地问使馆的孩子们：英国小学好，还是中国小学好？结果，刚来的孩子都说中国的好，来的时间长的孩子都说英国的好。我相信，随着他们长大，他们会说，都好。圣玛丽小学将给他们留下一段终生难忘的美好回忆。在此，我要对西敏寺市及圣玛丽小学长期以来给予中国驻英使馆的支持和帮助表示衷心的感谢。
I once asked them which they like better, attending school here or in China.I got mixed answers.Those children who have newly arrived prefer their old schools in China, while others who have been here longer liked their British schools more.Maybe as they grow up, they would like both.I would like to thank the City of Westminster and St Mary’s for their longstanding support and aistance to the Chinese Embay and for providing kids of the Embay a wonderful and memorable place to study in.
今天，圣玛丽小学与中国的关系又加深了一层，伦敦南岸大学中医孔子学院在圣玛丽小学设立了孔子课堂。这是目前在英国设立的第54个孔子课堂，也是伦敦南岸大学中医孔子学院设立的第7个孔子课堂。借此机会，我也愿对伦敦南岸大学多年来为推广汉语教学、增进中英了解作出的积极努力，表示赞赏和感谢。
Today the bonds between St Mary’s and China have been further strengthened thanks to the new Confucius Claroom set up by St Mary’s and the Confucius Institute for Traditional Chinese Medicine at LSBU, the London South Bank University.This is the 54th Confucius Claroom in the UK and the 7th one established by the LSBU Confucius Institute.I must thank the LSBU for its consistent efforts to promote mandarin learning in Britain and to increase mutual understanding between China and the UK.孔子课堂为什么在英国这么受欢迎？其作用和意义又是什么呢？我认为主要有三点： Why are the Confucius Clarooms so popular in the UK? I believe this is mainly because they serve the following purposes: 第一是教授中文。在中国，英语已列入从小学至大学的必修课。同样，在英国，“汉语热”近年来也是持续升温。英国超过500所中小学开设了中文课程，部分学校甚至将中文列入了必修课。去年9月，英国政府将中文列入了GCSE的正式科目。孔子课堂具有专业、优质的中文师资力量，可以很好地满足学生们学习中文的需要。
First, teaching mandarin.In China, English learning is now compulsory from the very first year in primary school right to the university level.I’m also glad to see an emerging “mandarin fever” in this country.Mandarin is now being taught in over 500 primary and secondary schools, and some of them have made it a compulsory course.In September 2009, the British government made Chinese another GCSE subject.The Confucius Clarooms offer high quality and profeional mandarin teachers, who are able to meet growing needs of learning mandarin.
第二是介绍中国文化。语言不仅是一项交流工具，它更是一把钥匙、一双翅膀，学习掌握了它，你就能打开不同文化的大门，飞越不同文化间的障碍。中国的文化，既古老、又现代，古老是因为它具有深厚的历史积淀，现代是因为它与时俱进。可以说，中国文化就如同一本引人入胜的书籍。
Second, introducing Chinese culture.Language is not only a means of communication, but also gives learners an extra pair of wings to fly over cultural barriers.The Chinese culture is both old and new, old in terms of its profound roots in our time-honoured history, and new in the sense of China’s fast development and change.It is like a book that makes very interesting reading.第三是增进人民间友谊。友谊建立在了解的基础之上。孔子课堂深植于英国的中小学校，在英国的年轻一代洒下了中英友谊的种子，其影响是长远的，必将促进两国人民的世代友好。 Third, deepening the friendship between our peoples.Friendship is based on mutual understanding.The presence of Confucius Clarooms at British schools will go a long way to strengthening the friendship between our peoples and will sow the seeds of China-UK friendship in the hearts of the younger generation.孔子曰：知之者不如好之者，好之者不如乐之者。希望圣玛丽小学的同学们在孔子课堂里，学习（LEARN）、喜欢(LIKE)和热爱(LOVE)中国语言和文化，感受和享受其中的快乐，更希望你们长大后做中英友好的传承人和中英合作的促进者。
As Confucius said, “Knowledge is good to learn, better to love, and best to enjoy”.I would encourage students at St Mary’s to learn, love and enjoy the Chinese language and culture, and as you grow up, to carry on the friendship and cooperation between our two countries.最后，为了使同学们能够更好地学习中文，了解中国，乐爱妹参赞和我今天特向圣玛丽小学孔子课堂赠送电视机、DVD机和一些介绍中国的书籍和光盘，希望你们会喜欢。
Last but not least, Counselor Le Aimei and I would like to present the Confucius Claroom with a TV set, a DVD player and some books and DVDs about China.Hopefully they will make your mandarin and Chinese culture leons easier and even more interesting.谢谢！ Thank you.
