and I believe that running can change the world.

我相信跑步可以改變世界。

I know what I have just said is simply not obvious.

我知道我剛說的並不是那麼簡單明瞭。

You know, Lebanon as a country has been once destroyed

如你所知，黎巴嫩這個國家已經飽受

by a long and bloody civil war.

長期又血腥的內戰摧殘。

Honestly, I don't know why they call it civil war

老實說，我不懂為什麼人們稱它為內戰，

when there is nothing civil about it.

在它已失去文明的時候。

With Syria to the north, Israel and Palestine to the south,

北接敘利亞，南連以色列和巴勒斯坦，

and our government even up till this moment

我們的政府即使是此刻

is still fragmented and unstable.

都還支離破碎，動盪不安。

For years, the country has been divided between politics and religion.

有幾年，這個國家被

However, for one day a year,

政治和宗教一分為二。

we truly stand united,

然而，某年的某一天，

and that's when the marathon takes place.

我們終於團結統一了，

I used to be a marathon runner.

那是在馬拉松舉行的時候。

Long distance running was not only good for my well-being

我曾是一名馬拉松跑者，

but it helped me meditate and dream big.

長距離賽跑不只對我的身心有益，

So the longer distances I ran,

也幫助我沈靜心靈，把夢做大。

the bigger my dreams became.

因此，當我跑得越長，

Until one fateful morning,

我的夢想就會越大，

and while training, I was hit by a bus.

直到命運降臨的那個早晨，

I nearly died, was in a coma,

我在訓練時被公車撞擊。

stayed at the hospital for two years,

我幾乎沒命了，陷入昏迷，

and underwent 36 surgeries to be able to walk again.

待在醫院兩年，

As soon as I came out of my coma,

接受了 36 次手術才能再次走路。

I realized that I was no longer the same runner I used to be,

在我從昏迷狀態甦醒後，

so I decided, if I couldn't run myself,

我發現自己已不再是同樣的跑者，

I wanted to make sure that others could.

因此，我決定如果我不能跑的話，

So out of my hospital bed,

就確保其他人可以跑。

I asked my husband to start taking notes,

在我離開醫院的病床後，

and a few months later, the marathon was born.

我請我的丈夫開始做記錄，

Organizing a marathon as a reaction to an accident

幾個月後，

may sound strange,

馬拉松誕生了。

but at that time, even during my most vulnerable condition,

籌辦一埸馬拉松作為對意外做出的反應

I needed to dream big.

聽起來可能有點奇怪，

I needed something to take me out of my pain,

但是在那時候，即使 處於最容易受傷的狀態，

an objective to look forward to.

我都需要有大夢想。

I didn't want to pity myself, nor to be pitied,

我需要某種東西帶我遠離痛苦，

and I thought by organizing such a marathon,

一個能夠期盼的目標。

I'll be able to pay back to my community,

我不想自憐，也不想被同情，

build bridges with the outside world,

我想透過辦一場馬拉松，

and invite runners to come to Lebanon

以能回饋我的社區，

and run under the umbrella of peace.

搭起對外的橋樑，

Organizing a marathon in Lebanon

並且邀請跑者來黎巴嫩，

is definitely not like organizing one in New York.

在和平的保護傘下一同奔跑。

How do you introduce the concept of running

在黎巴嫩籌辦一場馬拉松

to a nation that is constantly at the brink of war?

絕對和在紐約辦一場完全不同。

How do you ask those who were once fighting

你要怎麼介紹跑步的概念，

and killing each other

尤其是對長期處於 戰爭爆發邊緣的國家？

to come together and run next to each other?

你要怎麼邀請那些曾經參戰、

More than that, how do you convince people to run a distance of 26.2 miles

互相殘殺的人們

at a time they were not even familiar with the word "marathon"?

聚在一起並肩奔跑？

So we had to start from scratch.

而且，你要怎麼說服人們

For almost two years, we went all over the country

要一次跑 26.2 英哩遠（約 42.195 公里），

and even visited remote villages.

而當他們完全不了解

I personally met with people from all walks of life --

「馬拉松」這個名詞的時候？

mayors, NGOs, schoolchildren,

因此我們必須從頭開始。

politicians, militiamen,

我們花了將近兩年走遍全國，

people from mosques, churches,

連偏遠的村莊也去了。

the president of the country, even housewives.

我親自和各行各業的人見面──

I learned one thing:

市長、非政府組織、學童、

When you walk the talk, people believe you.

政治家、民兵，從清真寺、教堂來的人、

Many were touched by my personal story,

總統，還有家庭主婦。

and they shared their stories in return.

我學到一件事：

It was honesty and transparency that brought us together.

當你說到做到，人們就會相信你。

We spoke one common language to each other,

我的故事讓許多人很感動，

and that was from one human to another.

他們也跟我分享自己的故事作為回報。

Once that trust was built,

是真誠與毫不掩飾讓我們齊聚一堂，

everybody wanted to be part of the marathon

我們用同一種語言溝通，

to show the world the true colors of Lebanon and the Lebanese

那是一個人對另一個人說的。

and their desire to live in peace and harmony.

一旦信任建立了之後，

In October 2003, over 6,000 runners

每個人都想要參與馬拉松，

from 49 different nationalities

讓世界看見黎巴嫩真正的樣貌、

came to the start line, all determined,

看見黎巴嫩人，

and when the gunfire went off,

以及他們期盼在和平 與融洽中生存的渴望。

this time it was a signal to run in harmony,

在 2003 年 10 月，超過六千名跑者

for a change.

從 49 個不同的國家

The marathon grew.

來到這條起跑線前，堅定不移，

So did our political problems.

當起跑的槍聲響起，

But for every disaster we had,

這一次是為了和睦而奔跑，

the marathon found ways to bring people together.

帶來改變的契機。

In 2005, our prime minister was assassinated,

馬拉松種下的的種子發芽了。

and the country came to a complete standstill,

我們的政治問題也是。

so we organized a five-kilometer United We Run campaign.

過去我們曾經歷許多災難，

Over 60,000 people came to the start line,

馬拉松找到了讓人們和平共處的方式。

all wearing white T-shirts with no political slogans.

2005 年，我們的首相遭到暗殺，

That was a turning point for the marathon,

國家完全陷入停擺，

where people started looking at it as a platform

因此我們發起了一場五公里 為團結而跑 (United We Run) 的活動。

for peace and unity.

超過六萬人來到起跑線前，

Between 2006 up to 2009, our country, Lebanon,

所有的人都穿著沒有政治口號的白上衣。

went through unstable years,

那是馬拉松的轉捩點，

invasions, and more assassinations

人們開始把馬拉松當做一個

that brought us close to a civil war.

追求和平與團結的平台。

The country was divided again,

在 2006 年到 2009 年間， 我們的國家黎巴嫩

so much that our parliament resigned,

經歷了動盪的數年，

we had no president for a year, and no prime minister.

侵略和更多的暗殺行動

But we did have a marathon.

讓我們接近內戰爆發的邊緣。

(Applause)

這個國家再次分裂，

So through the marathon, we learned that political problems can be overcome.

以致於內閣總辭，

When the opposition party decided to shut down part of the city center,

這一年我們沒有總統，也沒有首相。

we negotiated alternative routes.

但是我們還有馬拉松。

Government protesters became sideline cheerleaders.

（掌聲）

They even hosted juice stations.

透過馬拉松，我們知道

(Laughter)

政治問題可以被克服。

You know, the marathon has really become one of its kind.

當反對黨決定

It gained credibility

關閉部分的市中心，

from both the Lebanese and the international community.

我們協商出替代方案。

Last November 2012, over 33,000 runners from 85 different nationalities

反政府的抗議人士變成了

came to the start line,

場外的啦啦隊，

but this time, they challenged a very stormy and rainy weather.

他們甚至設了果汁攤。

The streets were flooded, but people didn't want to miss out

你知道，馬拉松成為了

on the opportunity of being part of such a national day.

獨一無二的可能，

BMA has expanded.

馬拉松得到了

We include everyone: the young, the elderly,

黎巴嫩國民和全球的信任。

the disabled, the mentally challenged,

2012 年 11 月，超過三萬三千名跑者

the blind, the elite, the amateur runners,

從 85 個不同的國家

even moms with their babies.

來到起跑線前，

Themes have included runs for the environment,

但是這次他們挑戰的是

breast cancer, for the love of Lebanon, for peace,

狂風暴雨的天氣。

or just simply to run.

街道氾濫成災，但是人們不想錯過

The first annual all-women-and-girls race for empowerment,

參與的機會，

which is one of its kind in the region,

尤其是這樣舉國歡騰的一天。

has just taken place only a few weeks ago,

BMA 更加拓展了，

with 4,512 women, including the first lady,

我們包括了所有人：青年、長者、

and this is only the beginning.

身心障礙者、

Thank you.

盲人、精英、業餘跑者，

(Applause)

甚至母親和她們的小寶寶。

BMA has supported charities and volunteers

跑步主題涵蓋了為環境、

who have helped reshape Lebanon,

乳癌、為了黎巴嫩之愛、為了和平，

raising funds for their causes

或是單純地為了跑而跑。

and encouraging others to give.

第一場年度為女性增權而跑的比賽，

The culture of giving and doing good has become contagious.

那是該地區唯一的一場，

Stereotypes have been broken.

在數個星期前才舉行，

Change-makers and future leaders have been created.

總共有 4,512 名女性參加， 包含了第一夫人，

I believe these are the building blocks for future peace.

而這只是起點而已。

BMA has become such a respected event in the region

謝謝。

that government officials in the region,

（掌聲）

like Iraq, Egypt and Syria,

BMA 贊助公益團體和志工，

have asked the organization to help them structure a similar sporting event.

他們協助改造黎巴嫩，

We are now one of the largest running events in the Middle East,

為了達成目標而募款，

but most importantly,

並且鼓勵人們伸出援手。

it is a platform for hope and cooperation

做善事和付出的文化

in an ever-fragile and unstable part of the world.

已向外蔓延。

From Boston to Beirut, we stand as one.

刻板印象已破除，

(Applause)

實踐改變的人才與未來領袖

After 10 years in Lebanon,

也已經誕生了。

from national marathons or from national events

我相信這些都是建立未來和平的關鍵，

to smaller regional races,

BMA 在地區中備受矚目，

we've seen that people want to run for a better future.

在那個區域的政府官員，

After all, peacemaking is not a sprint.

像是伊拉克、埃及和敘利亞

It is more of a marathon.

都邀請組織幫助他們籌辦

Thank you.

類似的運動賽事。

(Applause)

現在，我們舉辦的是中東 最大型的跑步賽事之一，