ABOUT THE SPEAKER
May El-Khalil - Founder of the Beirut Marathon
The Beirut Marathon is the largest running event in the Middle East. May El-Khalil founded it as an instrument of peace.

Why you should listen

The beautiful city of Beirut, Lebanon, has seen its share of tragedy, as a seat of Lebanon's long-running civil war (1975-1990) and the Israeli-Lebanese conflict that came to a head in 2006. But in 2003, May El-Khalil, a local sports official, decided: It's time to start a marathon, open to all, as an antidote to sectarianism. And despite ongoing political and security pressure, the Beirut Marathon, now entering its 11th year, has become not only the largest running event in the Middle East but a powerful force for peace.

El-Khalil was inspired to start the marathon after a personal tragedy: a near-fatal running accident. Doctors told her she would never run again. She was hospitalized for two years and had to undergo a long series of surgeries. But the resolve from this personal struggle created an event that, each year, draws runners and fans from opposing political and religious communities in a symbolic act of peace. Case in point: In 2012, on a rainy and windy November day, more than 33,000 runners turned out. Other countries around the region are now thinking of replicating this model.

More profile about the speaker
May El-Khalil | Speaker | TED.com
TEDGlobal 2013

May El-Khalil: Making peace is a marathon

梅.埃爾-哈利勒: 追尋和平是一場馬拉松

Filmed:
5,268,496 views

在黎巴嫩,每年會有一起不同於往常暴力場景的槍響:那是貝魯特國際馬拉松賽開跑的鳴響。這場動人的演說中,馬拉松籌辦人梅.埃爾-哈利勒 (May El-Khalil) 解說為什麼她深信一場 26.2 英哩的長跑賽事能夠帶來改變,讓因政治與宗教而分裂數十年的國家團結,即使那只是一年當中的一天而已。
- Founder of the Beirut Marathon
The Beirut Marathon is the largest running event in the Middle East. May El-Khalil founded it as an instrument of peace. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:13
I come from Lebanon黎巴嫩,
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我來自黎巴嫩,
00:16
and I believe that running賽跑 can change更改 the world世界.
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我相信跑步可以改變世界。
00:20
I know what I have just said is simply只是 not obvious明顯.
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我知道我剛說的並不是那麼簡單明瞭。
00:24
You know, Lebanon黎巴嫩 as a country國家 has been once一旦 destroyed銷毀
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如你所知,黎巴嫩這個國家已經飽受
00:29
by a long and bloody血腥 civil國內 war戰爭.
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長期又血腥的內戰摧殘。
00:32
Honestly老老實實, I don't know why they call it civil國內 war戰爭
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老實說,我不懂為什麼人們稱它為內戰,
00:35
when there is nothing civil國內 about it.
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在它已失去文明的時候。
00:38
With Syria敘利亞 to the north, Israel以色列 and Palestine巴勒斯坦 to the south,
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北接敘利亞,南連以色列和巴勒斯坦,
00:43
and our government政府 even up till直到 this moment時刻
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我們的政府即使是此刻
00:46
is still fragmented支離破碎 and unstable不穩定.
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都還支離破碎,動盪不安。
00:49
For years年份, the country國家 has been divided分為
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有幾年,這個國家被
00:53
between之間 politics政治 and religion宗教.
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政治和宗教一分為二。
00:57
However然而, for one day a year,
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然而,某年的某一天,
01:00
we truly stand united聯合的,
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我們終於團結統一了,
01:02
and that's when the marathon馬拉松 takes place地點.
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那是在馬拉松舉行的時候。
01:07
I used to be a marathon馬拉松 runner跑步者.
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我曾是一名馬拉松跑者,
01:10
Long distance距離 running賽跑 was not only good for my well-being福利
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長距離賽跑不只對我的身心有益,
01:15
but it helped幫助 me meditate幽思 and dream夢想 big.
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也幫助我沈靜心靈,把夢做大。
01:19
So the longer distances距離 I ran,
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因此,當我跑得越長,
01:21
the bigger my dreams became成為,
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我的夢想就會越大,
01:25
until直到 one fateful決定命運 morning早上,
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直到命運降臨的那個早晨,
01:28
and while training訓練, I was hit擊中 by a bus總線.
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我在訓練時被公車撞擊。
01:34
I nearly幾乎 died死亡, was in a coma昏迷,
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我幾乎沒命了,陷入昏迷,
01:37
stayed at the hospital醫院 for two years年份,
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待在醫院兩年,
01:40
and underwent後行 36 surgeries手術 to be able能夠 to walk步行 again.
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接受了 36 次手術才能再次走路。
01:47
As soon不久 as I came來了 out of my coma昏迷,
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在我從昏迷狀態甦醒後,
01:50
I realized實現 that I was no longer the same相同 runner跑步者 I used to be,
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我發現自己已不再是同樣的跑者,
01:55
so I decided決定, if I couldn't不能 run myself,
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因此,我決定如果我不能跑的話,
01:59
I wanted to make sure that others其他 could.
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就確保其他人可以跑。
02:03
So out of my hospital醫院 bed,
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在我離開醫院的病床後,
02:06
I asked my husband丈夫 to start開始 taking服用 notes筆記,
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我請我的丈夫開始做記錄,
02:09
and a few少數 months個月 later後來,
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幾個月後,
02:11
the marathon馬拉松 was born天生.
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馬拉松誕生了。
02:15
Organizing組織 a marathon馬拉松 as a reaction反應 to an accident事故
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籌辦一埸馬拉松作為對意外做出的反應
02:19
may可能 sound聲音 strange奇怪,
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聽起來可能有點奇怪,
02:22
but at that time, even during my most vulnerable弱勢 condition條件,
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但是在那時候,即使
處於最容易受傷的狀態,
02:27
I needed需要 to dream夢想 big.
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我都需要有大夢想。
02:29
I needed需要 something to take me out of my pain疼痛,
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我需要某種東西帶我遠離痛苦,
02:32
an objective目的 to look forward前鋒 to.
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一個能夠期盼的目標。
02:35
I didn't want to pity可憐 myself, nor也不 to be pitied可憐,
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我不想自憐,也不想被同情,
02:40
and I thought by organizing組織 such這樣 a marathon馬拉松,
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我想透過辦一場馬拉松,
02:43
I'll be able能夠 to pay工資 back to my community社區,
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以能回饋我的社區,
02:46
build建立 bridges橋樑 with the outside world世界,
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搭起對外的橋樑,
02:49
and invite邀請 runners亞軍 to come to Lebanon黎巴嫩
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並且邀請跑者來黎巴嫩,
02:51
and run under the umbrella雨傘 of peace和平.
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在和平的保護傘下一同奔跑。
02:56
Organizing組織 a marathon馬拉松 in Lebanon黎巴嫩
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在黎巴嫩籌辦一場馬拉松
02:59
is definitely無疑 not like organizing組織 one in New York紐約.
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絕對和在紐約辦一場完全不同。
03:04
How do you introduce介紹 the concept概念 of running賽跑
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你要怎麼介紹跑步的概念,
03:07
to a nation國家 that is constantly經常 at the brink邊緣 of war戰爭?
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尤其是對長期處於
戰爭爆發邊緣的國家?
03:12
How do you ask those who were once一旦 fighting戰鬥
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你要怎麼邀請那些曾經參戰、
03:15
and killing謀殺 each other
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互相殘殺的人們
03:17
to come together一起 and run next下一個 to each other?
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聚在一起並肩奔跑?
03:21
More than that, how do you convince說服 people
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而且,你要怎麼說服人們
03:24
to run a distance距離 of 26.2 miles英里
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要一次跑 26.2 英哩遠(約 42.195 公里),
03:28
at a time they were not even familiar
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而當他們完全不了解
03:30
with the word "marathon馬拉松"?
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「馬拉松」這個名詞的時候?
03:33
So we had to start開始 from scratch.
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因此我們必須從頭開始。
03:35
For almost幾乎 two years年份, we went all over the country國家
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我們花了將近兩年走遍全國,
03:39
and even visited參觀 remote遠程 villages村莊.
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連偏遠的村莊也去了。
03:43
I personally親自 met會見 with people from all walks散步 of life --
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我親自和各行各業的人見面──
03:47
mayors市長, NGOs非政府組織, schoolchildren小學生,
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市長、非政府組織、學童、
03:50
politicians政治家, militiamen民兵, people from mosques清真寺, churches教堂,
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政治家、民兵,從清真寺、教堂來的人、
03:56
the president主席 of the country國家, even housewives家庭主婦.
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總統,還有家庭主婦。
04:01
I learned學到了 one thing:
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我學到一件事:
04:04
When you walk步行 the talk, people believe you.
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當你說到做到,人們就會相信你。
04:08
Many許多 were touched感動 by my personal個人 story故事,
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我的故事讓許多人很感動,
04:12
and they shared共享 their stories故事 in return返回.
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他們也跟我分享自己的故事作為回報。
04:15
It was honesty誠實 and transparency透明度 that brought us together一起.
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是真誠與毫不掩飾讓我們齊聚一堂,
04:20
We spoke one common共同 language語言 to each other,
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我們用同一種語言溝通,
04:24
and that was from one human人的 to another另一個.
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那是一個人對另一個人說的。
04:29
Once一旦 that trust相信 was built內置,
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一旦信任建立了之後,
04:32
everybody每個人 wanted to be part部分 of the marathon馬拉松
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每個人都想要參與馬拉松,
04:34
to show顯示 the world世界 the true真正 colors顏色 of Lebanon黎巴嫩
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讓世界看見黎巴嫩真正的樣貌、
04:37
and the Lebanese黎巴嫩
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看見黎巴嫩人,
04:40
and their desire慾望 to live生活 in peace和平 and harmony和諧.
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以及他們期盼在和平
與融洽中生存的渴望。
04:45
In October十月 2003, over 6,000 runners亞軍
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在 2003 年 10 月,超過六千名跑者
04:50
from 49 different不同 nationalities國籍
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從 49 個不同的國家
04:53
came來了 to the start開始 line, all determined決心,
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來到這條起跑線前,堅定不移,
04:57
and when the gunfire炮火 went off,
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當起跑的槍聲響起,
04:59
this time it was a signal信號 to run in harmony和諧
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這一次是為了和睦而奔跑,
05:04
for a change更改.
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帶來改變的契機。
05:06
The marathon馬拉松 grew成長.
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馬拉松種下的的種子發芽了。
05:08
So did our political政治 problems問題.
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我們的政治問題也是。
05:11
But for every一切 disaster災害 we had,
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過去我們曾經歷許多災難,
05:14
the marathon馬拉松 found發現 ways方法 to bring帶來 people together一起.
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馬拉松找到了讓人們和平共處的方式。
05:20
In 2005, our prime主要 minister部長 was assassinated暗殺,
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2005 年,我們的首相遭到暗殺,
05:25
and the country國家 came來了 to a complete完成 standstill停頓,
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國家完全陷入停擺,
05:29
so we organized有組織的 a five-kilometer五公里 United聯合的 We Run campaign運動.
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因此我們發起了一場五公里
為團結而跑 (United We Run) 的活動。
05:33
Over 60,000 people came來了 to the start開始 line,
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超過六萬人來到起跑線前,
05:37
all wearing穿著 white白色 t-shirtsT卹 with no political政治 slogans口號.
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所有的人都穿著沒有政治口號的白上衣。
05:43
That was a turning車削 point for the marathon馬拉松,
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那是馬拉松的轉捩點,
05:46
where people started開始 looking at it as a platform平台
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人們開始把馬拉松當做一個
05:49
for peace和平 and unity統一.
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追求和平與團結的平台。
05:52
Between之間 2006 up to 2009, our country國家, Lebanon黎巴嫩,
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在 2006 年到 2009 年間,
我們的國家黎巴嫩
05:57
went through通過 unstable不穩定 years年份,
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經歷了動盪的數年,
06:00
invasions入侵, and more assassinations暗殺
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侵略和更多的暗殺行動
06:03
that brought us close to a civil國內 war戰爭.
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讓我們接近內戰爆發的邊緣。
06:06
The country國家 was divided分為 again,
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這個國家再次分裂,
06:08
so much that our parliament議會 resigned辭職,
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以致於內閣總辭,
06:11
we had no president主席 for a year, and no prime主要 minister部長.
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這一年我們沒有總統,也沒有首相。
06:17
But we did have a marathon馬拉松.
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但是我們還有馬拉松。
06:20
(Applause掌聲)
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(掌聲)
06:26
So through通過 the marathon馬拉松, we learned學到了
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透過馬拉松,我們知道
06:29
that political政治 problems問題 can be overcome克服.
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政治問題可以被克服。
06:34
When the opposition反對 party派對 decided決定
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當反對黨決定
06:36
to shut關閉 down part部分 of the city center中央,
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關閉部分的市中心,
06:38
we negotiated alternative替代 routes路線.
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我們協商出替代方案。
06:41
Government政府 protesters抗議者 became成為
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反政府的抗議人士變成了
06:45
sideline副業 cheerleaders啦啦隊.
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場外的啦啦隊,
06:46
They even hosted託管 juice果汁 stations.
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他們甚至設了果汁攤。
06:51
You know, the marathon馬拉松 has really become成為
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你知道,馬拉松成為了
06:55
one of a kind.
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獨一無二的可能,
06:57
It gained獲得 credibility可信性 from both
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馬拉松得到了
06:59
the Lebanese黎巴嫩 and the international國際 community社區.
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黎巴嫩國民和全球的信任。
07:04
Last November十一月 2012, over 33,000 runners亞軍
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2012 年 11 月,超過三萬三千名跑者
07:08
from 85 different不同 nationalities國籍
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從 85 個不同的國家
07:10
came來了 to the start開始 line,
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來到起跑線前,
07:12
but this time, they challenged挑戰
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但是這次他們挑戰的是
07:14
very stormy暴風雨 and rainy多雨的 weather天氣.
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狂風暴雨的天氣。
07:17
The streets街道 were flooded, but people didn't want to miss小姐
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街道氾濫成災,但是人們不想錯過
07:21
out on the opportunity機會 of being存在 part部分
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參與的機會,
07:23
of such這樣 a national國民 day.
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尤其是這樣舉國歡騰的一天。
07:26
BMABMA has expanded擴大.
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BMA 更加拓展了,
07:28
We include包括 everyone大家: the young年輕, the elderly老年,
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我們包括了所有人:青年、長者、
07:32
the disabled, the mentally精神上 challenged挑戰,
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身心障礙者、
07:35
the blind, the elite原種, the amateur業餘 runners亞軍,
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盲人、精英、業餘跑者,
07:38
even moms媽媽 with their babies嬰兒.
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甚至母親和她們的小寶寶。
07:41
Themes主題 have included包括 runs運行 for the environment環境,
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跑步主題涵蓋了為環境、
07:45
breast乳房 cancer癌症, for the love of Lebanon黎巴嫩, for peace和平,
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乳癌、為了黎巴嫩之愛、為了和平,
07:49
or just simply只是 to run.
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或是單純地為了跑而跑。
07:51
The first annual全年 all-women-and-girls所有婦女和女孩 race種族 for empowerment權力,
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第一場年度為女性增權而跑的比賽,
07:58
which哪一個 is one of its kind in the region地區,
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那是該地區唯一的一場,
08:00
has just taken採取 place地點 only a few少數 weeks ago,
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在數個星期前才舉行,
08:04
with 4,512 women婦女, including包含 the first lady淑女,
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總共有 4,512 名女性參加,
包含了第一夫人,
08:09
and this is only the beginning開始.
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而這只是起點而已。
08:14
Thank you.
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謝謝。
08:16
(Applause掌聲)
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(掌聲)
08:18
BMABMA has supported支持的 charities慈善機構 and volunteers志願者
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BMA 贊助公益團體和志工,
08:24
who have helped幫助 reshape重塑 Lebanon黎巴嫩,
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他們協助改造黎巴嫩,
08:27
raising提高 funds資金 for their causes原因
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為了達成目標而募款,
08:29
and encouraging鼓舞人心的 others其他 to give.
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並且鼓勵人們伸出援手。
08:32
The culture文化 of giving and doing good
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做善事和付出的文化
08:35
has become成為 contagious傳染性的.
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已向外蔓延。
08:37
Stereotypes定型 have been broken破碎.
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刻板印象已破除,
08:39
Change-makers變化制定者 and future未來 leaders領導者
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實踐改變的人才與未來領袖
08:42
have been created創建.
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也已經誕生了。
08:44
I believe these are the building建造 blocks for future未來 peace和平.
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我相信這些都是建立未來和平的關鍵,
08:50
BMABMA has become成為 such這樣 a respected尊敬 event事件 in the region地區
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BMA 在地區中備受矚目,
08:57
that government政府 officials官員 in the region地區
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在那個區域的政府官員,
09:00
like Iraq伊拉克, Egypt埃及 and Syria敘利亞,
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像是伊拉克、埃及和敘利亞
09:03
have asked the organization組織 to help them structure結構體
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都邀請組織幫助他們籌辦
09:07
a similar類似 sporting運動的 event事件.
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類似的運動賽事。
09:09
We are now one of the largest最大 running賽跑 events事件
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現在,我們舉辦的是中東
最大型的跑步賽事之一,
09:13
in the Middle中間 East, but most importantly重要的,
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但最重要的是
09:16
it is a platform平台 for hope希望 and cooperation合作
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這是一個希望與合作的平台,
09:20
in an ever-fragile日益脆弱 and unstable不穩定 part部分 of the world世界.
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在這日益脆弱又不穩定的世界一角。
09:26
From Boston波士頓 to Beirut貝魯特, we stand as one.
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從波士頓到貝魯特,我們化為一體。
09:31
(Applause掌聲)
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(鼓掌)
09:37
After 10 years年份 in Lebanon黎巴嫩,
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十年後在黎巴嫩,
09:40
from national國民 marathons馬拉松 or from national國民 events事件
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從國內的馬拉松或是國內的活動
09:43
to smaller regional區域性 races比賽, we've我們已經 seen看到
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轉變為整個區域的賽事,我們看到了
09:46
that people want to run for a better future未來.
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人們想要為了更好的未來而跑。
09:51
After all, peacemaking締造和平 is not a sprint短跑.
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畢竟,創造和平不只是一句精神口號,
09:57
It is more of a marathon馬拉松.
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還不如說是一場馬拉松。
09:59
Thank you.
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謝謝!
10:00
(Applause掌聲)
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(鼓掌)
Translated by Marssi Draw
Reviewed by William Choi

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
May El-Khalil - Founder of the Beirut Marathon
The Beirut Marathon is the largest running event in the Middle East. May El-Khalil founded it as an instrument of peace.

Why you should listen

The beautiful city of Beirut, Lebanon, has seen its share of tragedy, as a seat of Lebanon's long-running civil war (1975-1990) and the Israeli-Lebanese conflict that came to a head in 2006. But in 2003, May El-Khalil, a local sports official, decided: It's time to start a marathon, open to all, as an antidote to sectarianism. And despite ongoing political and security pressure, the Beirut Marathon, now entering its 11th year, has become not only the largest running event in the Middle East but a powerful force for peace.

El-Khalil was inspired to start the marathon after a personal tragedy: a near-fatal running accident. Doctors told her she would never run again. She was hospitalized for two years and had to undergo a long series of surgeries. But the resolve from this personal struggle created an event that, each year, draws runners and fans from opposing political and religious communities in a symbolic act of peace. Case in point: In 2012, on a rainy and windy November day, more than 33,000 runners turned out. Other countries around the region are now thinking of replicating this model.

More profile about the speaker
May El-Khalil | Speaker | TED.com