President Obamas Remarks at Cairo University EgyptWord下载.docx
《President Obamas Remarks at Cairo University EgyptWord下载.docx》由会员分享,可在线阅读,更多相关《President Obamas Remarks at Cairo University EgyptWord下载.docx(16页珍藏版)》请在冰点文库上搜索。
10P.M.(Local)
PRESIDENTOBAMA:
Thankyouverymuch.
Goodafternoon.
IamhonoredtobeinthetimelesscityofCairo,andtobehostedbytworemarkableinstitutions.
Foroverathousandyears,Al-AzharhasstoodasabeaconofIslamiclearning;
andforoveracentury,CairoUniversityhasbeenasourceofEgypt'
sadvancement.
Andtogether,yourepresenttheharmonybetweentraditionandprogress.
I'
mgratefulforyourhospitality,andthehospitalityofthepeopleofEgypt.
AndI'
malsoproudtocarrywithmethegoodwilloftheAmericanpeople,andagreetingofpeacefromMuslimcommunitiesinmycountry:
Assalaamualaykum.(Applause.)
WemeetatatimeofgreattensionbetweentheUnitedStatesandMuslimsaroundtheworld--tensionrootedinhistoricalforcesthatgobeyondanycurrentpolicydebate.
TherelationshipbetweenIslamandtheWestincludescenturiesofcoexistenceandcooperation,butalsoconflictandreligiouswars.
Morerecently,tensionhasbeenfedbycolonialismthatdeniedrightsandopportunitiestomanyMuslims,andaColdWarinwhichMuslim-majoritycountriesweretoooftentreatedasproxieswithoutregardtotheirownaspirations.
Moreover,thesweepingchangebroughtbymodernityandglobalizationledmanyMuslimstoviewtheWestashostiletothetraditionsofIslam.
ViolentextremistshaveexploitedthesetensionsinasmallbutpotentminorityofMuslims.
TheattacksofSeptember11,2001andthecontinuedeffortsoftheseextremiststoengageinviolenceagainstcivilianshasledsomeinmycountrytoviewIslamasinevitablyhostilenotonlytoAmericaandWesterncountries,butalsotohumanrights.
Allthishasbredmorefearandmoremistrust.
Solongasourrelationshipisdefinedbyourdifferences,wewillempowerthosewhosowhatredratherthanpeace,thosewhopromoteconflictratherthanthecooperationthatcanhelpallofourpeopleachievejusticeandprosperity.
Andthiscycleofsuspicionanddiscordmustend.
vecomeheretoCairotoseekanewbeginningbetweentheUnitedStatesandMuslimsaroundtheworld,onebasedonmutualinterestandmutualrespect,andonebaseduponthetruththatAmericaandIslamarenotexclusiveandneednotbeincompetition.
Instead,theyoverlap,andsharecommonprinciples--principlesofjusticeandprogress;
toleranceandthedignityofallhumanbeings.
Idosorecognizingthatchangecannothappenovernight.
Iknowthere'
sbeenalotofpublicityaboutthisspeech,butnosinglespeechcaneradicateyearsofmistrust,norcanIanswerinthetimethatIhavethisafternoonallthecomplexquestionsthatbroughtustothispoint.
ButIamconvincedthatinordertomoveforward,wemustsayopenlytoeachotherthethingsweholdinourheartsandthattoooftenaresaidonlybehindcloseddoors.
Theremustbeasustainedefforttolistentoeachother;
tolearnfromeachother;
torespectoneanother;
andtoseekcommonground.
AstheHolyKorantellsus,"
BeconsciousofGodandspeakalwaysthetruth."
(Applause.)
ThatiswhatIwilltrytodotoday--tospeakthetruthasbestIcan,humbledbythetaskbeforeus,andfirminmybeliefthattheinterestsweshareashumanbeingsarefarmorepowerfulthantheforcesthatdriveusapart.
Nowpartofthisconvictionisrootedinmyownexperience.I'
maChristian,butmyfathercamefromaKenyanfamilythatincludesgenerationsofMuslims.
Asaboy,IspentseveralyearsinIndonesiaandheardthecalloftheazaanatthebreakofdawnandatthefallofdusk.
Asayoungman,IworkedinChicagocommunitieswheremanyfounddignityandpeaceintheirMuslimfaith.
Asastudentofhistory,Ialsoknowcivilization'
sdebttoIslam.
ItwasIslam--atplaceslikeAl-Azhar--thatcarriedthelightoflearningthroughsomanycenturies,pavingthewayforEurope'
sRenaissanceandEnlightenment.
ItwasinnovationinMuslimcommunities--(applause)--itwasinnovationinMuslimcommunitiesthatdevelopedtheorderofalgebra;
ourmagneticcompassandtoolsofnavigation;
ourmasteryofpensandprinting;
ourunderstandingofhowdiseasespreadsandhowitcanbehealed.
Islamicculturehasgivenusmajesticarchesandsoaringspires;
timelesspoetryandcherishedmusic;
elegantcalligraphyandplacesofpeacefulcontemplation.
Andthroughouthistory,Islamhasdemonstratedthroughwordsanddeedsthepossibilitiesofreligioustoleranceandracialequality.
(Applause.)
IalsoknowthatIslamhasalwaysbeenapartofAmerica'
sstory.
ThefirstnationtorecognizemycountrywasMorocco.
InsigningtheTreatyofTripoliin1796,oursecondPresident,JohnAdams,wrote,"
TheUnitedStateshasinitselfnocharacterofenmityagainstthelaws,religionortranquilityofMuslims."
Andsinceourfounding,AmericanMuslimshaveenrichedtheUnitedStates.
Theyhavefoughtinourwars,theyhaveservedinourgovernment,theyhavestoodforcivilrights,theyhavestartedbusinesses,theyhavetaughtatouruniversities,they'
veexcelledinoursportsarenas,they'
vewonNobelPrizes,builtourtallestbuilding,andlittheOlympicTorch.
AndwhenthefirstMuslimAmericanwasrecentlyelectedtoCongress,hetooktheoathtodefendourConstitutionusingthesameHolyKoranthatoneofourFoundingFathers--ThomasJefferson--keptinhispersonallibrary.
SoIhaveknownIslamonthreecontinentsbeforecomingtotheregionwhereitwasfirstrevealed.
ThatexperienceguidesmyconvictionthatpartnershipbetweenAmericaandIslammustbebasedonwhatIslamis,notwhatitisn'
t.
AndIconsideritpartofmyresponsibilityasPresidentoftheUnitedStatestofightagainstnegativestereotypesofIslamwherevertheyappear.(Applause.)
ButthatsameprinciplemustapplytoMuslimperceptionsofAmerica.
JustasMuslimsdonotfitacrudestereotype,Americaisnotthecrudestereotypeofaself-interestedempire.
TheUnitedStateshasbeenoneofthegreatestsourcesofprogressthattheworldhaseverknown.
Wewerebornoutofrevolutionagainstanempire.
Wewerefoundedupontheidealthatallarecreatedequal,andwehaveshedbloodandstruggledforcenturiestogivemeaningtothosewords--withinourborders,andaroundtheworld.
Weareshapedbyeveryculture,drawnfromeveryendoftheEarth,anddedicatedtoasimpleconcept:
Epluribusunum--"
Outofmany,one."
Now,muchhasbeenmadeofthefactthatanAfricanAmericanwiththenameBarackHusseinObamacouldbeelectedPresident.(Applause.)
Butmypersonalstoryisnotsounique.
ThedreamofopportunityforallpeoplehasnotcometrueforeveryoneinAmerica,butitspromiseexistsforallwhocometoourshores--andthatincludesnearly7millionAmericanMuslimsinourcountrytodaywho,bytheway,enjoyincomesandeducationallevelsthatarehigherthantheAmericanaverage.
Moreover,freedominAmericaisindivisiblefromthefreedomtopracticeone'
sreligion.
Thatiswhythereisamosqueineverystateinourunion,andover1,200mosqueswithinourborders.
That'
swhytheUnitedStatesgovernmenthasgonetocourttoprotecttherightofwomenandgirlstowearthehijabandtopunishthosewhowoulddenyit.
Solettherebenodoubt:
IslamisapartofAmerica.
AndIbelievethatAmericaholdswithinherthetruththatregardlessofrace,religion,orstationinlife,allofussharecommonaspirations--toliveinpeaceandsecurity;
togetaneducationandtoworkwithdignity;
toloveourfamilies,ourcommunities,andourGod.
Thesethingsweshare.
Thisisthehopeofallhumanity.
Ofcourse,recognizingourcommonhumanityisonlythebeginningofourtask.
Wordsalonecannotmeettheneedsofourpeople.
Theseneedswillbemetonlyifweactboldlyintheyearsahead;
andifweunderstandthatthechallengeswefaceareshared,andourfailuretomeetthemwillhurtusall.
Forwehavelearnedfromrecentexperiencethatwhenafinancialsystemweakensinonecountry,prosperityishurteverywhere.
Whenanewfluinfectsonehumanbeing,allareatrisk.
Whenonenationpursuesanuclearweapon,theriskofnuclearattackrisesforallnations.
Whenviolentextremistsoperateinonestretchofmountains,peopleareendangeredacrossanocean.
WheninnocentsinBosniaandDarfurareslaughtered,thatisastainonourcollectiveconscience.
Thatiswhatitmeanstosharethisworldinthe21stcentury.
Thatistheresponsibilitywehavetooneanotherashumanbeings.
Andthisisadifficultresponsibilitytoembrace.
Forhumanhistoryhasoftenbeenarecordofnationsandtribes--and,yes,religions--subjugatingoneanotherinpursuitoftheirowninterests.
Yetinthisnewage,suchattitudesareself-defeating.
Givenourinterdependence,anyworldorderthatelevatesonenationorgroupofpeopleoveranotherwillinevitablyfail.
Sowhateverwethinkofthepast,wemustnotbeprisonerstoit.
Ourproblemsmustbedealtwiththroughpartnership;
ourprogressmustbeshared.
Now,thatdoesnotmeanweshouldignoresourcesoftension.Indeed,itsuggeststheopposite:
Wemustfacethesetensionssquarely.
Andsointhatspirit,letmespeakasclearlyandasplainlyasIcanaboutsomespecificissuesthatIbelievewemustfinallyconfronttogether.
Thefirstissuethatwehaveto