Good morning. Well, this is not how I expected to wake up this morning. After I received the news, Malia walked in and said, "Daddy, you won the Nobel Peace Prize, and it is Bo's birthday!" And then Sasha added, "Plus, we have a three-day weekend coming up." So it's good to have kids to keep things in perspective.
I am both surprised and deeply humbled by the decision of the Nobel Committee. Let me be clear: I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations.
To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who've been honored by this prize -- men and women who've inspired me and inspired the entire world through their courageous pursuit of peace.
But I also know that this prize reflects the kind of world that those men and women, and all Americans, want to build -- a world that gives life to the promise of our founding documents. And I know that throughout history, the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement; it's also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes. And that is why I will accept this award as a call to action -- a call for all nations to confront the common challenges of the 21st century.
These challenges can't be met by any one leader or any one nation. And that's why my administration has worked to establish a new era of engagement in which all nations must take responsibility for the world we seek. We cannot tolerate a world in which nuclear weapons spread to more nations and in which the terror of a nuclear holocaust endangers more people. And that's why we've begun to take concrete steps to pursue a world without nuclear weapons, because all nations have the right to pursue peaceful nuclear power, but all nations have the responsibility to demonstrate their peaceful intentions.
We cannot accept the growing threat posed by climate change, which could forever damage the world that we pass on to our children -- sowing conflict and famine; destroying coastlines and emptying cities. And that's why all nations must now accept their share of responsibility for transforming the way that we use energy.
We can't allow the differences between peoples to define the way that we see one another, and that's why we must pursue a new beginning among people of different faiths and races and religions; one based upon mutual interest and mutual respect.
And we must all do our part to resolve those conflicts that have caused so much pain and hardship over so many years, and that effort must include an unwavering commitment that finally realizes that the rights of all Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security in nations of their own.
We can't accept a world in which more people are denied opportunity and dignity that all people yearn for -- the ability to get an education and make a decent living; the security that you won't have to live in fear of disease or violence without hope for the future.
And even as we strive to seek a world in which conflicts are resolved peacefully and prosperity is widely shared, we have to confront the world as we know it today. I am the Commander-in-Chief of a country that's responsible for ending a war and working in another theater to confront a ruthless adversary that directly threatens the American people and our allies. I'm also aware that we are dealing with the impact of a global economic crisis that has left millions of Americans looking for work. These are concerns that I confront every day on behalf of the American people.
Some of the work confronting us will not be completed during my presidency. Some, like the elimination of nuclear weapons, may not be completed in my lifetime. But I know these challenges can be met so long as it's recognized that they will not be met by one person or one nation alone. This award is not simply about the efforts of my administration -- it's about the courageous efforts of people around the world.
And that's why this award must be shared with everyone who strives for justice and dignity -- for the young woman who marches silently in the streets on behalf of her right to be heard even in the face of beatings and bullets; for the leader imprisoned in her own home because she refuses to abandon her commitment to democracy; for the soldier who sacrificed through tour after tour of duty on behalf of someone half a world away; and for all those men and women across the world who sacrifice their safety and their freedom and sometime their lives for the cause of peace.
That has always been the cause of America. That's why the world has always looked to America. And that's why I believe America will continue to lead.
Thank you very much.
奥巴马周五早在白宫玫瑰园发表演讲, 回应了诺贝尔和平奖的获得. 下面是译文:
早上好. 其实...这并不是我想象中起床的方式. 在我收到这条新闻之后, 玛利亚(奥巴马女儿)走进房间, 说, "爸爸 你的了诺贝尔和平奖, 而且今天是波( 第一家庭的宠物狗)的生日!". 然后萨沙(译者注, 奥巴马女儿)补充道, "而且呢, 我们有一个3天的周末呢.". 所以说, 有孩子让事情以孩子的角度思考是挺好的. 我对诺奖委员会的决定, 既感到惊讶也感到谦卑. 让我说清楚这点" 我不把这个奖看做是对我自己成就的认可, 而是所有国家人们对于美国领导的渴望的一种肯定.
诚恳说, 我不觉得我配跟已经获得此奖的, 那么多改革性的人物排列在一起 -- 勇敢追寻和平的男男女女, 启发了我 启发了整个世界.
但我也清楚, 这个奖, 是反射出了那些男女,所有美国人民,都想要建造的那种世界--一个给予我们成立国家之初立下的文件(译者注, 估计是人权宣言 宪法啊等等)以生命的世界. 我也知道, 历史上, 诺贝尔和平奖不仅仅用来奖励特定的成就; 它也可以是作为一些要素的动力. 这就是为什么我会接受这个奖, 作为一个对行动的呼吁的奖项 -- 一个对于所有国家去面对21世界共同的挑战的呼吁.
这些挑战, 不能被一个领导人或者一个国家所解决. 这也是为什么我的政府创立了一个所有国家都为我们想要的世界所负担责任的新时代. 我们不能容忍一个核武器扩散到更多国家的世界, 不能容忍一个核武大屠杀的恐惧让更多人处于危险的世界. 这就是为什么我们开始迈出坚实的脚步, 去追寻一个没有核武的世界, 因为所有国家都有权利追求和平的核动力, 但是所有国家也都有展示他们和平意图的责任. 我们也不能接受气候变化带来的威胁, 这可能永远的毁坏掉我们会传承给子子孙孙的这个世界--耕地冲突与饥荒; 毁坏的海岸线与空无一人的城市. 这就是为什么所有国家都应该接受自己的那一份改革能源使用的责任. 我们不能让民族之间的差异, 去决定我们对待彼此的方式, 这就是为什么我们必须在不同民族 不同信仰 不同种族 不同宗教之间, 追寻一个新的开端; 一个基于相同利益 相同尊重的新开端. 为解决那些对年来造成了许多伤痛和苦难的冲突, 我们必须做好自己那一部分, 这种努力, 必须包括一种毫不动摇的信念, 坚信最终会实现所有以色列人和巴勒斯坦人的权利, 居住在和平与安全的自己国家的权利. 我们不能接受一个有人被剥夺受教育权跟渴望美好生活的权利; 我们也不能接受人们生活在不安全之中--居住在对疾病与暴力的恐惧中, 对于未来没有希望. 就算我们奋力想要寻求冲突被和平地解决 想要繁荣被广大地分享, 我们不得不面对当今我们所了解的这个世界. 我是一个负责要结束一场战争的国家的总司令, 并且还面对着另一个威胁着美国人民及美国盟友的无情敌人. 我也知道, 我们还在处理全球经济危机带来的影响--它使得百万计的美国人现在还在寻求工作机会. 这些都是美国人民方面的, 我每天面对的工作. 一些我们遇到的工作, 在我的总统任期内都无法完成. 而一些, 比如说核武器的销毁, 可能在我有生之年都不可能完成. 但是我知道, 所有这些挑战, 只要不由一个人或一个国家所面对, 就可能解决. 这个奖项不仅仅是鼓励我的政府, 而是对全世界人民有勇气的努力的奖励. 所以这个奖项必须与所有为公正与尊严所斗争的每个人共享--上街游行, 为了自己声音被听到的追寻自己权利的年轻女性, 即使他们面对着子弹与暴打; 还有拒绝放弃民主信念, 而被被拘禁在自己家里的领袖; 在世界的另一边为了他人而战斗 而牺牲的士兵; 遍布全球的, 牺牲自己安全与自由甚至生命, 只为和平的男男女女. 这些一直都是美国的动机. 这就是为什么这个世界总是盼望着美国. 这也是为什么我深信美国会继续带领世界. 感谢大家!
