Speech at the John F. Kennedy Center

ずっと昔のスピーチ。NGO（国連創立記念事業 ”The Blue Star of Life”）の関係でワシントンに行ったときの原稿。
スピーチは、「時空間から言葉を掘り起こす彫刻」なんだと、
「私たちが今生きている文脈を再定義する挑戦」なんだと、気づけた瞬間。
ふと懐かしく見つけたので、記念にここに。ところどころ文法も内容も変だけど、まぁご愛敬ということで。

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    Good morning, excellency, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you very much for coming here today. My name is Takuya Takahama, a senior student from Kyoto University, majoring in economics. I am very honored to be here, the place which memorializes the president John. F. Kennedy, in this year of 100th anniversary of his birth.
   
    Exactly 100 years ago, a sickly boy was born, and lived through difficult times. Please recall, or imagine the world’s situation at that time, when John. F. Kennedy was elected to be the president of the United States in 1961.

    Cold-war tension had mounted, Vietnam war had started, Cuban Revolution had occurred, which was close to the nuclear war. The whole world was filled with tension and anxiety. The United States was on the blink of losing its glory. In those difficult times, the future of the United States and the future of the world had been entrusted to the youngest president ever elected, John. F. Kennedy.

    Some people may have mattered with a sigh, “what on earth can such an immature young man achieve in such an unstable world…” In his presidential inaugural address, however, the president Kennedy intently talked to those people who were uneasy. He said, “Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort?” 

    He made people think that they, in that dark age, were blessed people who were gifted an opportunity to carve their names in history by overcoming these threats. Kennedy gave people a hope for future by showing a great vision all the people could unite. This is the age he lived in and this is the role he played.

    How about today? In the world, the gap has deepened between ordinary people and global enterprises because of excessive globalization which was considered to be right at the time. In Japan, the economy has been slowing down for the last several decades partly because of the declining population which is the first time in its history. In the field of technology, people are getting anxious about their jobs because of the rise of robots which can be smarter than human beings. Economic growth, Globalization, Advances in Technology… these things which was said to be “the good”, are losing their glory now. 

    We are living today in the era of uncertainty. No one can find a certain answer about how the world should look like, and what is “the good” that all the people can agree on. In these situations, people can easily become anxious and tend to think how I could survive, how my country could survive, but the fate of the world where people were opposed to each other, was proven by the world history like world war. 

     In these difficult times, we, young people can inherit the will of Kennedy and bring people unity beyond the country and the light of hope for future by showing a clear vision no one had ever thought of before.

    The Blue Star of Life supports world peace and global environment conservation by gathering rocks that people across the globe put their will into and making opportunities for young people to interact with each other. We, young people of Japan and the United States would like to confirm our will and create a hopeful vision of the world with our fresh ideas and passion. 

    President Kennedy’s brother, Robert Kennedy, who made a contribution to Japan-U.S. relationship when he was an attorney general, left some famous words while many people gave up dreaming, facing the harsh reality at that time. He said, "Some men see things as they are and say, why. I dream things that never were and say, why not.” 

    By inheriting these Kennedy’s will, we can surely create a future world where people are uniting and having hope. So, today I’m proud to ask all my friends here. “Why not? Why not dreaming towards hopeful future? Because now, it’s our turn, to create the next 100 years.” 

    Thank you so much.

※NGOには本当に貴重な機会を頂きました。
※格調高い英文なんて書けなさ過ぎて色んな人に助けてもらいました。
ありがとう。