Ladies and gentlemen, 

Dear colleagues:

Because I am the Vice-Chancellor of the oldest of the foreign universities represented here today, I have been chosen to speak on their behalf. I am pleased to be their voice in presenting our heartfelt congratulations to the professors, teachers, researchers and students of Peking University on the 100th anniversary of its foundation.

Our universities form a great intellectual community round the world. Science has no nationality; knowledge belongs to everyone.

女士们，先生们，亲爱的同道们：

由于我是今天在此派有代表的各外国大学中最古老的大学的副校长，我被推选来代表他们讲话。我很高兴作为大家的代言人，表示我们衷心的祝贺，向北京大学的教授们、教师们、研究员们和学生们祝贺北大成立一百周年。

我们这些大学在全世界形成一个很大的知识界。科学没有国籍；知识属于每一个人。

Our universities create new knowledge. They teach this knowledge, together with that of other universities and also the best of the great storehouse of knowledge, which those who came before us have uncovered, tested and accumulated.

All universities contribute to the prosperity and success of their country. They also conserve the culture and inheritance specific to their country’s civilization. But, they do more. Knowledge is secure only when it is hard won by the independent tests of accuracy, rational explanation and truth. So, when we teach our students skills, we also give them values. On the one side, these are values for personal and civic conduct. On the other side, these values underwrite the personal need for independent understanding, which is the source of human creativity. 

我们这些大学创造新的知识。他们教授这些新知识，也教授其他大学所创造的新知识，也教授我们先辈们所发现、试验和积累的伟大知识宝库中的最宝贵的知识。所有大学都对本国的繁荣和成功做出贡献。它们也保护本国文明所特有的文化和遗产。但是，它们做的比这还要多。只有经过准确、合理解释和对真理的独立试验而辛苦获得的知识，才是牢靠的知识。因此，当我们教学生技能时，我们也是在教会他们价值。一方面，这些是个人行为和社会行为的价值。另一方面，这些价值强调个人需要有独立的见解，因为独立的见解是人类创造力的源泉。