刘晓明大使在“中国手工艺文化时装秀”上的致辞：《编织梦想，共创中英互利合作美好明天》

（2017年9月11日，驻英国大使馆）

Remarks by H.E. Ambassador Liu Xiaoming at the "Weaving A Dream" Fashion Show: Weaving the Dream of China-UK Cooperation

Chinese Embassy, 11 September 2017

尊敬的英国商业大使芭芭拉·贾奇女士，

Lady Barbara Judge,

尊敬的依文集团董事长夏华女士，

Ms. Xia Hua,

女士们、先生们、朋友们：

Ladies and Gentlemen,Dear Friends:

欢迎大家出席“编织梦想-中国手工艺文化时装秀”活动。

First of all, a most warm welcome to the Chinese Embassy!It is such a pleasure to have you all with us today for the "Weaving A Dream" Fashion Show.

这是时隔5年，中国驻英国大使馆第二次举办文化时装秀活动。时装秀是最接近于生活的舞台艺术，取之于生活，忠实于生活，也高于生活。今天，来自中国西部贵州省黔西南州的手工艺术家们，将给大家呈现一场独具特色的文化盛宴，更重要的是，她们将用时装的语言讲述心中的“梦想”：微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂

This is the second fashion show that the Chinese Embassy is hosting in the past five years. I am sure this time it will be just as fascinating and inspiring as the last one.

Fashion show as a form of stage art is most closely related to the real life of the people. However sumptuous, fashion designs are always based on and reflect our everyday life.

Tonight, it is a great pleasure to have with us the seamstresses from Qianxinan in China's Guizhou Province. They will share with us their folk art in the form of a very unique fashion show. But most importantly, in the language of fashion, they will share with us their dream.

首先，这是中国少数民族文化传承与发展的梦想。贵州素以丰富多彩的民族文化而著称，黔西南布依族人的民族服饰历史悠久、独具特色，堪称中国少数民族服饰文化的瑰宝。近年来，在经济高速发展及外来文化冲击的背景下，如何传承和发展布依族传统服饰文化成为一个重要课题。在当地政府、企业和社会各界大力支持下，在年轻一代绣娘们不懈努力下，布依族服饰技艺、民俗文化和民族产业重新焕发出生机，并走出国门、走向世界，向世人展示中国少数民族文化的独特魅力和风采。

First of all, this is a dream to carry forward the culture heritage of the ethnic minorities in the mountains of Guizhou.

Guizhou Province is known for its diverse ethnic cultures. Qianxinan Prefecture in Guizhou Province is home to the Buyi minority group. The traditional costume of the Buyi minority is highly appreciated for its long history and distinctive features.

In recent years, the rapid economic development and the influence of modern life have posed a challenge to preserving and promoting the Buyi costume culture.

Fortunately, the local government, the business community and people of many different backgrounds have come together to lend their support. The younger generation of seamstresses are working hard to keep the Buyi minority traditions alive, including unique embroidery techniques, folk crafts and costumes making. Tonight, they are here to demonstrate the beauty and appeal of their very unique culture.

第二，这是中国西部民众脱贫致富的梦想。中国还是一个发展中国家，仍面临脱贫问题。改革开放以来，我们用了30多年的时间使7亿多人摆脱贫困。近3年来，我们每年减少贫困人口1千万以上，并计划到2020年消除所有绝对贫困人口。贵州省黔西南州有7个国家贫困县，脱贫任务十分艰巨。中国有句古话：“授人以鱼，不如授人以渔”。贵州省积极落实“精准扶贫”政策，在依文集团等企业帮助下，因地制宜，通过大力发展少数民族服饰等传统产业，创造性地解决了黔西南地区特别是偏远山区少数民族女性就业问题，帮助她们走上自力更生、脱贫致富之路。2016年，贵州省黔西南全州3个贫困乡镇摘帽，132个贫困村退贫，10万贫困人口脱贫，交出了一份亮眼的成绩单。他们的成绩也使我们完全有信心在全国实现完全脱贫的目标。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂

Second, the seamstresses' dream represents the aspiration and efforts of the people in west China to shake off poverty and build a better life.

Since China began its reform and opening-up, 700 million people have been lifted out of poverty in 30 years time. In the past three years, at least 10 million people per year were helped out of poverty and our goal is to eradicate abject poverty by 2020.

China is still a developing nation, where poverty is still a problem especially in remote mountains. In Qianxinan Prefecture where the seamstresses come from, poverty reduction remains a daunting task. There are seven poor counties in the Prefecture, where people, especially women, are still living below the national poverty line.

But we Chinese believe that "Rather than handing out fish to the needy, it is better to teach them how to fish." Thanks to the government policy of targeted poverty relief and the helping hand from enterprises like the EVE Fashion Group, we now have a creative way to "teach people how to fish".

Efforts to revive the craft skills and to create a contemporary commercial model for the traditional designs gave the women of the Qianxinan mountains new livelihood opportunities. With a stable job, they can now depend on themselves for a better life.

Last year in Qianxinan, three of the seven poor counties, 132 villages and 100,000 people were out of poverty. This was a remarkable achievement and such a strong boost to our confidence in accomplishing our poverty reduction goal by 2020.

第三，这是推进东西方文明交融共鉴的梦想。贵州虽然地处中国西部内陆，但早在两千多年前就是中国同世界互联互通的重要通道。穿越云贵高原的“茶马古道”、“南方丝绸之路”，将产自中国的丝绸、茶叶源源不断地输往南亚大陆。今天，随着“一带一路”倡议的实施，贵州凭借自身区位优势，日益成为推动东西方文化交融、民心相通、合作共赢的排头兵和生力军。今晚，我们将欣赏到贵州绣娘亲手编织的锦缎在时尚舞台上大放异彩，领略到东西方文化在华服美锦之间绽放出璀璨的火花。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂

The third dream the seamstresses from the mountains of southwest China are able to weave in London is a great accomplishment of the exchanges and mutual learning between Eastern and Western civilizations.

Guizhou is a landlocked province in southwest China. But for 2,000 years and more it has been on a major passageway linking China and the world. That was the "ancient tea horse road" and "southern silk road" over China's Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. Via this route, silk and tea from China reached as far as South Asia.

Today, as China advances the building of the Belt and Road, Guizhou is again showing its geographical advantage. It is becoming a leader in facilitating win-win cooperation, cultural exchange and friendship between the east and the west. Tonight, let us be amazed by the beauty of Buyi brocade and the splendour of the fusion between eastern motifs and western fashion.

第四，这是深化中英人文交流合作的梦想。今年是中英建立大使级外交关系45周年，也是中英关系“黄金时代”深入发展之年。伦敦是世界时尚和创意之都，越来越多的中国时尚企业走进英伦，依文集团就是他们的杰出代表。我高兴地看到，中英时尚企业家们相互交流切磋，共同探索合作机遇，这不仅促进中英文化创意企业之间的交流与合作，也增进了中英两国人民之间的了解与友谊，为中英关系“黄金时代”增添更多“黄金成果”。

Last but not least, the dream is about deepening China-UK cultural cooperation and people-to-people exchange.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of Ambassadorial diplomatic relations between China and the UK. It is also a year for consolidating the China-UK "Golden Era". London is an international city of fashion and creativity. More and more Chinese fashion companies are coming here. The EVE Group is a fine representative.

I am most pleased to see that both Chinese and British business leaders from the fashion industry are gathered here to exchange ideas and explore opportunities. This will not only help build stronger ties between the cultural and creative sectors of our two countries. It will also contribute to the mutual understanding and friendship between our two peoples and deliver more "golden fruits" in the China-UK "Golden Era".

英国著名诗人济慈曾说，“美的事物是永恒的喜悦”。我衷心希望各位朋友在中国大使馆度过一个美好和喜悦的夜晚，共同感受时尚创意之美、东方文化之美，共同编织中英互利合作的美好梦想！微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂

John Keats once said, "A thing of beauty is a joy forever."

I sincerely hope everyone present will cherish this night at the Embassy. I hope you will enjoy the beauty of fashion and the beauty of the Chinese culture. I hope we can all work together to weave the dream of closer and more fruitful China-UK cooperation.

谢谢!

Thank you!