许尔文总领事在2019奥克兰元宵灯节开幕式上的讲话
Remarks by Consul General Xu Erwen at 2019 Auckland Lantern Festival
奥克兰中央公园，2019年2月14日
Auckland Domain, February 14, 2019
尊敬的帕齐·蕾迪总督阁下，
尊敬的菲尔·戈夫市长，
迈克尔·伍德副部长，
各位国会议员，
各位侨胞，女士们、先生们：
Her Excellency the Rt Hon Dame Governor general Patsy Reddy,
Hon. Mayor Phil Goff,
Hon Deputy Minister Michael Wood,
Respected MPs,
My dear Chinese compatriots, Ladies and gentlemen,
晚上好。
Good Evening!
我很高兴也很荣幸与新西兰和南太平洋地区的各界朋友一起参加奥克兰元宵灯节。我谨代表中国驻奥克兰总领馆向在座的所有朋友致以最热烈的新春问候和美好祝愿。元宵节是春节年俗中最后一个重要节令，在此祝大家新春快乐，元宵节幸福美满。
It’s my great pleasure and honor to participate in the Auckland Lantern Festival together with so many friends from all walks of life in NZ and South Pacific region. On this auspicious occasion, I would like to extend, on behalf of the Consulate General of China in Auckland, warmest greetings and best wishes to all the friends present here today, for a very happy and prosperous New Year as well as a happy and wonderful Lantern Festival, which is regarded as the last day of the spring festival celebrations!
奥克兰元宵灯节迄今举办了19届，是全球“欢乐春节”的重要组成部分，也是新西兰众多中国新年庆祝活动中最与众不同的活动，成为展现多元文化之美的重要平台。作为南太平洋地区年度盛会，奥克兰元宵灯节是新西兰和南太地区最大的多元文化活动，也是中国大陆以外世界上最大的元宵灯节。它体现了奥克兰多元文化的开放性和快速发展。
The Auckland Lantern Festival, which has been held for 19 years, has become an important part of the global Happy Chinese New Year celebrations, and an important platform for displaying the beauty of multicultures, distinguishing itself to be one of the most significant events from numerous Chinese New Year celebrations in NZ. As an annual big attraction in the South Pacific, this lantern festival has also been the largest multicultural event in NZ or South Pacific and the largest lantern festival in the world outside mainland China. It also has showed the openness, fast growing development of diversified cultures of Auckland.
我衷心感谢新西兰政府和奥克兰市政府长期以来对元宵灯节活动的支持，尤其是奥克兰旅游、大型活动和经济发展局，新西兰亚洲基金会，以及其他所有组织者、合作伙伴、赞助商和志愿者的不懈努力使活动得以成功举办。今年中国文化和旅游部及有关省市共组派了四个艺术团参加灯节，让我们热烈欢迎他们稍后带来的精彩表演，也感谢他们对这次灯节所做贡献。
I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to the government of NZ and Auckland Council for your longtime support to the Festival, especially to ATEED, Asia NZ Foundation and other organizers, partners, sponsors and volunteers for your strenuous efforts in making the annual Festival possible and so successful. This time the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism and relevant provinces send four arts troupes to present their unique performances during the Festival later on. Let’s give them a very warm welcome.
“国之交在于民相亲”，民相亲在于心相通，文化交流对加强人民之间的友谊与合作具有十分重要的作用。多年来，中国已成为新西兰第一大贸易伙伴，第一大留学生来源地和第二大国际游客来源地。中国目前正与新西兰及世界其他国家和人民共建“一带一路”，它不仅是一条贸易、资金和基础设施联通之路，更是民心相通和合作共赢之路。
Cultural exchanges play very important role in strengthening people to people friendship and cooperation. Friendship, which derives from close contact between the people, holds the key to sound state to state relationship. China is now building Belt and Road with other countries and peoples in the world including NZ. BRI is not only about the connectivity of trade, infrastructure and financing, most importantly is about the people-to-people exchanges to accomplish more win-win co-operations.
多年来，中国和新西兰在平等、相互尊重、互利共赢的基础上发展双边关系，造福了两国和两国人民。今天的元宵灯节就给新西兰人民带来无比的欢乐。中新文化交流项目精彩纷呈，绵延5000多年的中华文化和文明的魅力令人折服。我衷心希望两国共同努力，推动中新文化及其他领域交流与合作不断发展，给两国人民带来更多实实在在的成果和更多的幸福。
For many years, China NZ bilateral relationship on the basis of equality, mutual respect, mutual benefit and win-win result has benefited both countries and peoples, like today’s lantern festival which has brought tremendous joy to the people of NZ. People have been carried away by the fascinating Chinese culture and civilization which has been uninterrupted for more than 5000 years throughout the wonderful cultural exchange programs. I sincerely hope our two countries will make joint efforts to promote our cultural exchanges and co-operations in other areas to bring more tangible results and more happiness to our two peoples.
元宵节庆祝的是中国新年第一个满月，人们通过共吃元宵、出门赏月祈福等方式以求来年圆满顺利。借此机会，我预祝奥克兰元宵灯节取得圆满成功，祝各位新年万事如意。
Lantern Festival is celebrated at the first full moon of the New Year in China, when people eat sticky rice dumplings to worship the moon, wishing for fulfillment and smoothness in the coming year. By saying so, I wish the Auckland Lantern Festival a great success, and every one of you a prosperous New Year.
谢谢。
Thank you.