2006年VOA标准英语-Ambitious Exchange Program Bridges Cultures

Washington, DC
12 December 2006
 
watch Cultural Diplomacy¹

Amid the turmoil² generated by U.S. policies in the Middle East, the American diplomatic community is looking for more effective ways to communicate with Arab populations throughout the Middle East. Now, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, America's premier³ cultural center in Washington, D.C., is launching an ambitious exchange program with arts organizations from 22 Arab countries. The program aims to use the arts to improve cooperation and understanding between Arabs and Americans.

 
Michael Kaiser
Kennedy Center President Michael Kaiser is a man of many talents.  He is also a roving ambassador for the U.S. State Department's Cultural Programs Division.  At a recent (Dec 7) Washington news conference, he announced that the Kennedy Center is launching a two-pronged effort to boost U.S. cultural interactions with the Arab world.

"We are mounting a major Arab art festival (at the) Kennedy Center in 2009, but beginning this coming spring, we are also holding an annual symposia⁴ on arts management in the Arab countries. I am convinced that this project-our most ambitious to date-will have the dual⁵ benefits of not only educating the American public, but also creating stronger cultural institutions in the Arab world," he said.

Mr. Kaiser believes that Americans would benefit from learning more about other cultures and that the most effective and engaging way to do that is to experience how people in other cultures express themselves artistically⁶.

 
Dancers
"We can highlight the commonalities and we can also highlight the differences, but just not set apart from each other by these differences. I think it is very important for Americans to understand Arab people, not just Arab governments. And similarly it is important for Arab people to understand Americans. We should understand each other and not just the other's government and we could make peace," said Mr. Kaiser.

In 2003 the Kennedy Center invited the Iraqi National Symphony to perform in Washington. Mr. Kaiser says it was an eye-opener for an American audience unfamiliar⁷ with Iraq's cultural wealth.

"When we hosted the Iraqi Symphony at the Kennedy Center three years ago, the most common response I heard was: I did not know Iraq has a symphony. Most Americans were completely unaware⁸ of the level of education and the culture of the people of Iraq."

In a similar eye-opening exchange back in 1984, Diana Calenti, an American dancer and choreographer⁹, single-handedly built a cultural bridge between the contemporary American ballet community and Egyptian folkloric¹⁰ dancing:

Both Calenti and Kaiser are firm believers that artists can bridge East and West better than most politicians because art reminds us of our common humanity, and of the values we share with people throughout the world. Kaiser says the new arts collaboration¹¹ program will bring together hundreds of the finest artists from the United States and the Arab world.

1 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

2 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

3 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

4 symposia   

座谈会，评论集； 讨论会( symposium的名词复数 )； 专题讨论会； 研讨会； 小型讨论会

参考例句：

• Two symposia are scheduled for the ESC Congress 2007 on this subject. 在这个领域，两个会议被安排在2007ESC大会上。
• Moreover, the coordinator participated in four international conferences and symposia, gave talks or showed papers. 此外，项目执行期间，参加了四次国际学术研讨会，作了分组报告或论文展示。

5 dual   

adj.双的；二重的，二元的

参考例句：

• The people's Republic of China does not recognize dual nationality for any Chinese national.中华人民共和国不承认中国公民具有双重国籍。
• He has dual role as composer and conductor.他兼作曲家及指挥的双重身分。

6 artistically   

adv.艺术性地

参考例句：

• The book is beautifully printed and artistically bound. 这本书印刷精美，装帧高雅。
• The room is artistically decorated. 房间布置得很美观。

7 unfamiliar   

adj.陌生的，不熟悉的

参考例句：

• I am unfamiliar with the place and the people here.我在这儿人地生疏。
• The man seemed unfamiliar to me.这人很面生。

8 unaware   

a.不知道的，未意识到的

参考例句：

• They were unaware that war was near. 他们不知道战争即将爆发。
• I was unaware of the man's presence. 我没有察觉到那人在场。

9 choreographer   

n.编舞者

参考例句：

• She is a leading professional belly dancer, choreographer, and teacher. 她既是杰出的专业肚皮舞演员，也是舞蹈设计者和老师。 来自辞典例句
• It'stands aside, my choreographer of grace, and blesses each finger and toe. 它站在一旁，我优雅的舞蹈指导，并祝福每个指尖与脚尖。 来自互联网

10 folkloric   

adj.民间传说的；民俗的

参考例句：

• In the rush to go folkloric watch out for collision of cultures. 在民俗化的热潮中，要提防不同文化的冲突。
• Lunch blowout beside the pool, accompanied by folkloric dancing (Vanity Fair) . 盛大的午餐在游泳池边进行，还有民族舞蹈助兴（名利场）。

11 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。