保留我们的大屠杀记忆是我们未来的关键

There are so many reasons why my city, Kyiv, fills me with pride.我的城市基辅（Kyiv）让我感到自豪，原因有很多。 It is the engine of Ukraine's economy and the heart of our blooming democracy.它是乌克兰经济的引擎，也是我们蓬勃发展的民主的核心。 During the last decade, we have hosted several of Europe's highest profile events – The Eurovision Song Contest, the Congress of the World Boxing Council, the UEFA Champions League final and the European Football Championships.在过去的十年中，我们举办了几场欧洲最著名的赛事-欧洲歌唱大赛，世界拳击理事会代表大会，欧洲冠军联赛决赛和欧洲足球锦标赛。 In so many ways, Kyiv is unquestionably a global city.从很多方面来说，基辅无疑是一个全球化的城市。 But as Mayor, it is my job to keep the city moving forward.但是作为市长，保持城市前进是我的工作。 I am convinced that Kyiv's potential remains unfulfilled.我坚信基辅的潜力尚未实现。 We really can become one of Europe's truly great capital cities.我们确实可以成为欧洲真正的伟大首都之一。 The answer though, lies in our past,答案就在于我们的过去， 基辅·维塔利·克里琴科市长写道。

Here in Ukraine, we have a complicated history, which we have yet to truly come to terms with.在乌克兰，我们有一个复杂的历史，我们尚未真正接受它。 If we want our city and our country to reach new heights, now is the moment to squarely face our history.如果我们希望我们的城市和国家达到新的高度，那么现在就是正视我们历史的时刻。

Ukraine has made enormous strides since independence – economically, socially and politically.自独立以来，乌克兰在经济，社会和政治上已取得了巨大进步。 We should be incredibly proud of these achievements, especially considering our recent past.我们应该为这些成就感到难以置信的自豪，特别是考虑到我们最近的过去。 Like so many of my compatriots, the difficult memory of Soviet rule remains very fresh.像我的许多同胞一样，对苏维埃统治的艰难记忆仍然非常新鲜。 It is not just part of our history, it is part of our lives.这不仅是我们历史的一部分，也是我们生活的一部分。 Processing what Soviet rule meant for Kyiv and Ukraine is complex and deeply personal.处理苏联统治对基辅和乌克兰的意义是复杂而深切的。

The immense challenge of our raw past also means that we have overlooked another terrible chapter - The horror of Nazi occupation in our city and the Holocaust which took place here.我们原始历史的巨大挑战也意味着我们忽略了另一个可怕的章节-我们城市纳粹占领的恐怖和在这里发生的大屠杀。 Too many Ukrainians remain unaware of what exactly unfolded during the darkest days of World War Two.太多的乌克兰人仍然不知道在第二次世界大战最黑暗的日子里到底发生了什么。 One and a half million Ukrainian Jews fell victim to Nazi terror and an even greater number of their non-Jewish neighbors.一百五十万乌克兰犹太人成为纳粹恐怖活动的受害者，还有更多非犹太人的邻居。 The Jews living in Kyiv during this period were almost entirely decimated.在此期间，居住在基辅的犹太人几乎全部丧命。 The Nazi era was a traumatic Jewish and Ukrainian tragedy.纳粹时代是犹太人和乌克兰人的悲剧。 But rather than brush this painful period aside, we must embrace it as part of our national story.但是，我们不应将这一痛苦时期搁置一旁，而必须将其作为民族故事的一部分。

To this end, we should follow the examples of other European countries.为此，我们应该效法其他欧洲国家的榜样。 The likes of Poland and Germany itself have refused to let the Nazi era cast a debilitating shadow over them.波兰和德国之类的国家本身拒绝让纳粹时代在他们身上投下令人沮丧的阴影。 They have found a way to respectfully untangle the past, to commemorate what happened and learn its dreadful lessons.他们找到了一种尊重过去的方式，以纪念发生的事情并汲取其可怕的教训的方法。 As a result, they have developed societies strongly characterized by tolerance, diversity and respect.结果，他们建立了以容忍，多样性和尊重为特征的社会。 It is no coincidence that so many of the world's great cities have built a renowned Holocaust memorial or museum, including Washington, Los Angeles, Warsaw, Amsterdam and Berlin.世界上许多大城市都建造了著名的大屠杀纪念馆或博物馆，包括华盛顿，洛杉矶，华沙，阿姆斯特丹和柏林，这并非巧合。 These sites have become a focal point to learn from a tragic past.这些遗址已成为向悲剧性历史学习的重点。

Kyiv's Holocaust memorial is well overdue.基辅的大屠杀纪念馆早该到了。 That is why I believe that the development of the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center is a significant moment for the future of our city.这就是为什么我认为，巴比亚尼亚大屠杀纪念馆的发展对我们城市的未来而言是重要的时刻。 More than anywhere, Babyn Yar symbolizes the trauma of Kyiv's Nazi occupation.巴比亚尔（Babyn Yar）在任何地方都象征着基辅纳粹占领的创伤。 What transpired at the Babyn Yar ravine on the city's edge exactly 79 years ago is perhaps the most evil act on Ukrainian soil.恰好在34,000年前，在城市边缘的巴比雅河峡谷发生的事情也许是在乌克兰土壤上最邪恶的行为。 In just two days, Nazi forces callously shot dead XNUMX Jews, mainly women and children.在短短两天内，纳粹部队就无情地杀死了XNUMX名犹太人，主要是妇女和儿童。 Babyn Yar continued to be the site of mass murder for the duration of the occupation, with tens of thousands of Ukrainians, Roma and mentally ill also executed there.在占领期间，Babyn Yar继续是大屠杀的地点，成千上万的乌克兰人，罗姆人和精神病患者也被处决。 This haunting site, in the midst of our city, is Europe's largest mass grave.这个令人难忘的地点位于我们城市中部，是欧洲最大的万人冢。

And yet, until now there has been no fitting memorial, no public space to tell this dreadful tale.但是，到目前为止，还没有合适的纪念馆，也没有公共场所来讲述这个可怕的故事。 The Soviets attempted to erase Babyn Yar from sight and memory, building roads and a park over the site of mass extermination.苏维埃人试图从视线和记忆中消除巴比恩·亚尔，在大规模杀害现场上修建道路和公园。 Nation-specific suffering, both Jewish and Ukrainian, was anathema to the Communist worldview and so Babyn Yar was practically removed from the historical narrative.犹太人和乌克兰人特定于民族的苦难是共产主义世界观的反感，因此巴比恩·雅尔实际上被从历史叙述中移除了。 It is our duty to restore our precious history.恢复我们的宝贵历史是我们的责任。

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The Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center will be this region's largest, most significant and technologically advanced Holocaust Museum.巴比亚亚大屠杀纪念馆将是该地区最大，最重要，技术最先进的大屠杀博物馆。 Already, the Center's researchers have pieced together new details of victims and of local residents who saved their neighbors.该中心的研究人员已经整理了受害者和拯救邻居的当地居民的新细节。 Innovative tools will be used to tell these stories, which must never be forgotten.创新的工具将被用来讲述这些故事，这些故事绝对不能忘记。

Like other prominent Holocaust museums across the world, I believe that the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center will help strengthen our city and its reputation.像世界上其他著名的大屠杀博物馆一样，我相信巴比亚尼亚大屠杀纪念馆将有助于加强我们的城市及其声誉。 Not only will it attract countless people to Kyiv.它不仅会吸引无数人来到基辅。 More importantly, its presence and its mission will help us as a city and as a society, to make peace with the past.更重要的是，它的存在和使命将帮助我们这个城市和整个社会与过去和平。 In other words, it is exactly the platform we need, in order to build a better future.换句话说，这正是我们需要的平台，以便建立更美好的未来。