世界节假日博览 第56期:国际消除种族歧视日

 　　March 21 is International Day for the Elimination¹ of Racial Discrimination. It commemorates² a tragedy that happened in the town of Sharpeville in South Africa on this day in 1960. Police opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration³ against the apartheid laws. The massacre⁴ shocked the world. For many years this day was known as Sharpeville Day in South Africa. In 1966, the UN General Assembly created this special day, calling on all countries to redouble their efforts to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination, once and for all. Every March 21st, the offices of the United Nations High Commissioner⁵ for Human Rights in Geneva and New York conduct activities to highlight the evil of racism⁶ and our duty to combat it.

　　每年的3月21日为国际消除种族歧视日。1960年的这一天，在南非的沙佩维尔发生了惨剧，而该节日就是为了纪念这一事件而设立的。警方开枪杀害了69名参加反对种族隔离的和平示威者。这起屠杀事件震惊了世界。许多年来，这一天也被看成是南非的“沙佩维尔”日。1966年，联合国大会设立了该节日，呼吁各个国家为消除种族歧视而加倍努力，永远消除种族歧视。每年的3月21日，在日内瓦的联合国难民事务高级专员公署以及总部纽约都会举办许多打击种族歧视的活动。

　　This day perhaps played a role in the ending of apartheid in South Africa. Today the country is a multi-racial society where the government is promoting equality at all levels. The ending of apartheid and the discrimination that went with it opened up South Africa to greater economic development. UN General-Secretary Ban Ki-moon spoke⁷ of how racism affects human rights and becomes an obstacle to a nation’s development: "Racist⁸ practices hurt their victims, but they also limit the promise of entire societies where they are tolerated. They prevent individuals from realizing their potential and stop them from contributing fully⁹ to national progress." Racism is still a damaging force in today’s world. Try and make a difference on March 21.

　　该节日的设立或许为结束南非的种族隔离做出了贡献。如今的南非是一个多种族国家，南非政府也一直在宣传社会各阶层的民族平等。种族隔离和种族歧视的终结也让南非迎来了更加繁荣的经济发展。联合国秘书长潘基文就种族歧视对人权发展的影响，以及国家的进步阻碍一事进行了评论：“种族歧视会伤害受害者，不仅如此，它还会影响社会包容性的发展。种族歧视阻碍个人发展，阻碍国家进步。”如今，种族歧视仍然会让全球遭受重创。3月21日，让我们在这一天做出改变吧。

　　1.racial discrimination 种族歧视

　　例句：Racial discrimination is abhorrent¹⁰ to my council and our staff.

　　我的顾问班子和全体工作人员都对种族歧视深恶痛绝。

　　2.General Assembly 联合国大会

　　例句：The General Assembly welcomed five new members to its ranks.

　　联合国大会对5个新成员国的加入表示了欢迎。

　　3.economic development 经济发展

　　例句：Education is central to a country's economic development.

　　教育对一个国家的经济发展至关重要。

　　4.open fire 开火

　　例句：They don't hesitate to open fire when confronted by police.

　　他们遭遇警察时毫不犹豫地开火。

1 elimination   

n.排除，消除，消灭

参考例句：

• Their elimination from the competition was a great surprise.他们在比赛中遭到淘汰是个很大的意外。
• I was eliminated from the 400 metres in the semi-finals.我在400米半决赛中被淘汰。

2 commemorates   

n.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的名词复数 )v.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• A tombstone is erected in memory of whoever it commemorates. 墓碑是为纪念它所纪念的人而建的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A tablet commemorates his patriotic activities. 碑文铭记他的爱国行动。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

3 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

4 massacre   

n.残杀，大屠杀；v.残杀，集体屠杀

参考例句：

• There was a terrible massacre of villagers here during the war.在战争中，这里的村民惨遭屠杀。
• If we forget the massacre,the massacre will happen again!忘记了大屠杀，大屠杀就有可能再次发生！

5 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

6 racism   

n.民族主义；种族歧视(意识)

参考例句：

• He said that racism is endemic in this country.他说种族主义在该国很普遍。
• Racism causes political instability and violence.种族主义道致政治动荡和暴力事件。

7 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

8 racist   

n.种族主义者，种族主义分子

参考例句：

• a series of racist attacks 一连串的种族袭击行为
• His speech presented racist ideas under the guise of nationalism. 他的讲话以民族主义为幌子宣扬种族主义思想。

9 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

10 abhorrent   

adj.可恶的，可恨的，讨厌的

参考例句：

• He is so abhorrent,saying such bullshit to confuse people.他这样乱说，妖言惑众，真是太可恶了。
• The idea of killing animals for food is abhorrent to many people.许多人想到杀生取食就感到憎恶。