President Speaks at Cairo University

　　Cairo University

　　June 4, 2009

　　Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much. Good afternoon. I am honored to be in the timeless city of Cairo and to be hosted by two remarkable institutions. For over a thousand years, Al-Azhar has had stood as a beacon of Islamic learning. And for over a century, Cairo University has been a source of Egypt's advancement. Together, you represent the harmony between tradition and progress。

　　I'm grateful for your hospitality and the hospitality of the people of Egypt. And I'm also proud to carry with me the good will of the American people and a greeting of peace from Muslim communities in my country: Assalamu-alaikum。

　　We meet at a time of great tension between the United States and Muslims around the world, tension rooted in historical forces that go beyond any current policy debate. The relationship between Islam and the West includes centuries of coexistence and cooperation but also conflict and religious wars。

　　More recently, tension has been fed by colonialism that denied rights and opportunities to many Muslims and a Cold War in which Muslim majority countries were too often treated as proxies without regard to their own aspirations. Moreover, the sweeping change brought by modernity and globalization led many Muslims to view the West as hostile to the traditions of Islam。

　　Violent extremists have exploited these tensions in a small but potent minority of Muslims. The attacks of September 11, 2001, and the continued efforts of these extremists to engage in violence against civilians has led some in my country to view Islam as inevitably hostile not only to America and western countries but also to human rights。

　　All this has bred more fear and more mistrust. So long as our relationship is defined by our differences, we will empower those who sow hatred rather than peace, those who promote conflict rather than the cooperation that can help all of our people achieve justice and prosperity. And this cycle of suspicion and discord must end。

　　I've come here to Cairo to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world, one based on mutual interest and mutual respect, and one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap and share common principles, principles of justice and progress, tolerance and the dignity of all human beings。

　　I do so recognizing that change cannot happen overnight. I know there's been a lot of publicity about this speech, but no single speech can eradicate years of mistrust nor can I answer in the time that I have this afternoon all the complex questions that brought us to this point。

　　But I am convinced that in order to move forward, we must say openly to each other the things we hold in our hearts and that too often are said only behind closed doors. There must be a sustained effort to listen to each other, to learn from each other, to respect one another, and to seek common ground。

　　As the Holy Quran tells us：“Be conscious of God and speak always the truth. ”

　　That is what I will try to do today, to speak the truth as best I can. Humbled by the task before us and firm in my belief that the interests we share as human beings are far more powerful than the forces that drive us apart。

　　奥巴马总统在开罗大学的演讲

　　开罗大学

　　2009年6月4日

　　谢谢。大家下午好！我很荣幸能应两所著名学府的邀请造访古城开罗。1 000多年来，爱资哈尔大学一直是伊斯兰学术的一盏明灯；而100多年来，开罗大学则一直是埃及进步的摇篮。这两所大学并称传统与进步之间和谐的象征。

　　我对在座的各位和埃及人民的热情款待万分感激。我也很自豪地带来了美国人民的美好祝愿和我国穆斯林民众的友好问候：愿安拉赐你平安。

　　我们相聚在美国和穆斯林世界关系十分紧张的时期。究其根源，这种紧张关系由来已久，且超出了任何当前政策辩论的范畴。伊斯兰与西方世界之间的关系既有包括长达几个世纪的共存与合作，又包括冲突和宗教战争。

　　在近代，殖民主义剥夺了众多穆斯林的权利与机会；冷战期间，穆斯林占主导地位的国家往往沦为傀儡，其自身利益被弃之不顾。双方关系因而变得尤为紧张。此外，现代化和全球化带来的巨变使得许多穆斯林将西方视为伊斯兰传统的敌人。

　　暴力极端主义分子利用这种紧张关系煽动穆斯林世界为数不多却颇有影响力的一群人。2001年发生的“9·11”袭击事件以及极端分子对平民不断施暴的行径使我的一些同胞认为，伊斯兰教是美国等西方国家的敌人，是人权的践踏者。

　　所有这一切将滋生出更多恐惧和疑虑。我们之间的关系一旦用分歧来界定，势必会任由一些人散播仇恨而非和平，宣扬冲突而非旨在让所有的人获得正义和繁荣的合作。我们必须打破这种由怀疑和纷争所引起的恶性循环。

　　我来访的目的是在全球范围内为美国和穆斯林寻找一个新起点——一个以互利互敬而为基础的新起点。美国和穆斯林之间不必相互排斥和相互竞争。相反，美国和穆斯林之间相互重合，拥有一些共同的原则，例如全人类所共同遵循的追求正义和进步的原则，宽容和尊严的原则等。

　　我深知变革并非一蹴而就。我也知道本次演讲倍受关注。但是，一次演讲不可能消除多年来积累起的不信任，我今天下午也不可能给摆在我们面前的众多复杂问题一个解决方案。

　　但是我深信，为了进步，我们必须进行开诚布公的交流，而非从前的窃窃私语。我们必须坚持不懈地付出努力，相互倾听，相互学习，相互尊重，寻求共同点。

　　《古兰经》教诲我们：铭记真主，永吐真言。

　　这就是我今天要努力实现的目标——尽我最大努力说实话。我深感我们肩负着重大的使命，坚信我们为人类的共同利益而奋斗的力量远比分裂我们的力量强大得多。