VOA慢速英语2015 黎巴嫩妇女开展“食物外交”_

 

AS IT IS 2015-01-29 Lebanese Women Make Peace One Meal at a Time 黎巴嫩妇女开展“食物外交”_

When you hear the words “peace talks,” what do you imagine? Perhaps you think of heads-of-state, diplomats¹ or other high government officials sitting in large chairs in an official-looking room.

But what if the peace talks looked like this -- all the government officials stayed at home and instead sent their mothers and grandmothers. These women could meet in a kitchen around a kitchen table. While the women prepare food together, they could talk about how to solve the problems between their families – a kind of “Mother Knows Best” diplomacy², you might say.

In a way, that is what is happening in Tripoli, Lebanon’s second largest city. Years of fighting there have split³ some neighborhoods.

The Syrian war and the actions of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have made tensions⁴ worse. Long-running tensions in Tripoli led to new clashes⁵ in October 2014. Fighting between gunmen and the Lebanese Army caused thousands of people to flee their homes. The involvement of Islamist militants⁶ in the fighting increased fears that the self-declared Islamic State was attempting to gain support in Lebanon.

One street in Tripoli is on the front line of this conflict. This street divides a neighborhood along sectarian or religious lines.

But between these two fighting groups is a kitchen.

This kitchen is a place where women from both sides work together to earn a living. These women bring hope that years of hatred⁷ can be put aside in the name of good food.

So-called⁸ "food diplomacy"                                              

Women from the opposing sides are coming together to cook – thanks to a non-profit called Ruwwad al Tanmeya-Lebanon. Experienced⁹ chefs helped the women complete training. Now they are earning a living by selling their food to organizations such as the Red Cross.

Sarah Al-Charif heads the organization. She says the aim is not just to unite the women, but to empower them, too. 

“In this project they realize that now we are sharing the same pain but now we are sharing the same purpose. So we started to share the same purpose which is we want to get income … to generate¹⁰ income in order for us to support our families financially. And when you give them the access to start empowering themselves financially, then you are empowering indirectly¹¹ their families’ education.”

Hana Awad took part in the cooking project. Even during the fighting, she gets hope from the cooking project.

“Each person was sitting by herself. We were looking at each other, thinking: 'She’s from there, and I’m from here.' Then, after the second or third sessions¹², we tried to get closer. We tried to get more involved. And I really tried to get into it. Now when we meet, we close the door so people outside don’t hear how happy we are.”

Another woman in the program, Wafaa Hazzouri, agrees with Ms. Awad.

“We've now been with each other for eight months. We feel like we are one family. If one of us is absent, we all ask about her, why didn’t she come? We have a really intimate¹³ environment now.”

Plans for the kitchen to serve the public have been delayed because of the clashes. But the conflict has not stopped people from ordering food … and lots of it.

Orders continue to flood in. These women will continue cooking together and breaking down the barriers of hatred with each meal they make and sell.             

Words in This Story

sectarian – adj. relating to religious or political groups and the differences between them

intimate – adj. having a very close relationship; very warm and friendly

flood in – idiom arrive in great numbers

barrier – n. something that makes it difficult for people to understand each other

1 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

3 split   

n.劈开，裂片，裂口；adj.分散的；v.分离，分开，劈开

参考例句：

• Who told you that Mary and I had split up?谁告诉你玛丽和我已经离婚了？
• The teacher split the class up into six groups.老师把班级分成6个小组。

4 tensions   

（情绪上的）紧张( tension的名词复数 )； 张力； 紧张的状态； （作家或电影导演制造的）紧张气氛

参考例句：

• Social tensions were manifested in the recent political crisis. 最近的政治危机显示了社会关系的紧张。
• These disagreements are symptomatic of the tensions within the party. 出现意见分歧表明该党内部的关系紧张。

5 clashes   

冲突( clash的名词复数 )； 不协调； （两群人之间的）打斗

参考例句：

• Clashes broke out between police and demonstrators. 警方与示威者发生了冲突。
• Several policemen were injured in the clashes. 几名警察在冲突中受伤。

6 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

7 hatred   

n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨

参考例句：

• He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。
• The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。

8 so-called   

adj.所谓的，号称的

参考例句：

• These were the so-called mainframe machines.它们被称为主机。
• Let's see what this so-called button does.让我们来看看为什么这个按钮叫这个名字。

9 experienced   

adj.有经验的；经验丰富的，熟练的

参考例句：

• Experienced seamen will advise you about sailing in this weather.有经验的海员会告诉你在这种天气下的航行情况。
• Perhaps you and I had better change over;you are more experienced.也许我们的工作还是对换一下好，你比我更有经验。

10 generate   

vt.生成，产生（光、热、电等）导致

参考例句：

• We need someone to generate new ideas.我们需要有人出新主意。
• This book will continue to generate excitement for a long time.这本书将在很长一段时间里继续使人们为之激动。

11 indirectly   

adv.间接地，不直接了当地

参考例句：

• I heard the news indirectly.这消息我是间接听来的。
• They were approached indirectly through an intermediary.通过一位中间人，他们进行了间接接触。

12 sessions   

n.（尤指法庭、议会等）开庭( session的名词复数 )；（自发或俱乐部的）聚会；会期；（进行某活动连续的）一段时间

参考例句：

• A few sessions talking to a counsellor should straighten him out. 跟辅道员谈几次就会使他改正过来的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The sessions will enable you to discuss problems with fellow asthma sufferers. 这些环节让你和其他哮喘病患者一起讨论问题。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 intimate   

adj.亲密的，密切的；个人的，私人的；v.暗示、提示、宣布、通知

参考例句：

• The two of them were as intimate as sisters.她们俩处得好像亲姐妹一样。
• I can't tell them my intimate thoughts.我不能告诉他们我内心深处的想法。