New Zealand's government is ending its support for a popular program on the British playwright William Shakespeare.
新西兰政府将停止支持一个有关英国剧作家威廉·莎士比亚的热门项目。
Shakespeare wrote plays and poems during the late 1500s and early 1600s. He is considered by many to be one of the most important writers in the English language.
莎士比亚在16世纪末和17世纪初创作戏剧和诗歌。许多人认为他是最重要的英语作家之一。
The art agency said the program depended too heavily on busy schools, failed to show relevance to today's art, and depended on a kind of art linked to British imperialism.
该艺术机构表示，该项目过于依赖繁忙的学校，未能表现出与现代艺术的相关性，且还依赖于一种与英帝国主义有关的艺术。
But many have criticized the decision by the art agency Creative New Zealand. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is among the critics. She also was a former student actor who took part in the program.
但许多人批评了艺术机构“创意新西兰”所做出的这一决定。总理杰辛达·阿德恩是批评者之一。她也曾是该项目的学生演员。
Ardern said, "I was a participant in Shakespeare in Schools. I thought it was a great program."
阿德恩说：“我是‘莎士比亚在校园’的参与者。我认为这是一个很棒的项目。”
She said students interested in drama and debate have limited opportunities to connect with other students from different schools.
她说，对戏剧和辩论感兴趣的学生与其他来自不同学校的学生交流的机会有限。
She said, "I was one of those kids. And so I would like to continue to see other kids have those opportunities."
她说：“我曾经就是那些孩子中的一员。因此，我想继续看到其他孩子也有这样的机会。”
Ardern added that the financial decision was not up to her or the government. Creative New Zealand receives financial support from taxpayers but is run independently.
阿德恩还说，这个项目的资金支持不是由她或政府决定的。“创意新西兰”接受纳税人的资金支持，但却独立运营。
The Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand has run the school programs, workshops, and events for about 30 years. Students act, direct, make clothing for plays, or create musical performances. The plays are set in current times or have different story elements from the ones written by William Shakespeare more than 400 years ago.
新西兰莎士比亚环球中心开展学校项目、研讨会和活动已有约30年了。学生们表演、导演、为戏剧制作服装或创作音乐表演。这些戏剧以当今时代为背景，或者具有与400多年前威廉·莎士比亚写的戏剧不同的故事元素。
The center has received about ten percent of its yearly budget from the government agency.
该中心每年预算的10%来自该政府机构。
Dawn Sanders is the center's chief. She said she was not expecting the rejection last month. It remained in place after a recent meeting. She criticized the decision.
道恩·桑德斯是该中心的负责人。她说，她没有料到上个月会遭到拒绝。在最近的一次会议后，情况还是如此。她批评了这一决定。
Sanders said more than 120,000 students have been involved in the events and programs over the years. Many go on to work in the theater or film.
桑德斯说，多年来，已有超过12万名学生参与了相关活动和项目。许多人继续在剧院或电影领域工作。
Others, she said, have used their acting skills in their jobs. For example, lawyers can become better at arguing their cases and doctors at talking to patients.
她说，还有一些人在工作中运用了自己的演技。例如，律师可以更好地为自己的案件辩护，医生可以更好地与患者交谈。
Creative New Zealand did not comment.
“创意新西兰”对此不予置评。
In its 11-page rejection note, however, one agency member said the center had "proved the ongoing value" of its local and national Shakespeare competition model. Some 4,600 young people join 24 events each year.
然而，在长达11页的拒绝信中，该机构的一名成员表示，该中心已经“证明了”其地方和全国莎士比亚竞赛模式的“持续价值”。每年约有4600名年轻人参加24项活动。
The agency official wrote, "The application does make me reflect on the ongoing relevance of Shakespeare." The person questioned if supporting Shakespeare "is most relevant for a decolonizing Aotearoa in the 2020s and beyond." Aotearoa is a native name for New Zealand.
该机构的官员写道：“这份申请让我反思了莎士比亚作品的现实意义。”此人怀疑支持莎士比亚是否“与21世纪20年代及以后的去殖民化的奥特亚罗瓦最相关。”奥特亚罗瓦是新西兰原住民用自己的语言取的名字。
The group that made the decision said that the Shakespeare center seems "paternalistic" and that its request for financial support did not show the relevance to art of current times.
做出这一决定的组织表示，该莎士比亚中心似乎是“家长式的”，它对资金支持的请求中并没有表现出它与当代艺术的相关性。
Sanders said she would try to find other financial support and promised the program would continue. Since the dispute became public, she said, people have already given thousands of dollars online.
桑德斯表示，她将会努力寻找其他资金支持，并承诺该项目将会继续下去。她说，自从纠纷公之于众以来，人们已经在网上捐了数千美元。
Former Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters wrote on the social media site Facebook about the decision. He strongly criticized the officials responsible.
前副总理温斯顿·彼得斯在社交媒体网站脸书上就该决定发表了评论。他强烈批评了负责的官员。
Ardern said it would be wrong to take a single financial decision and make it a statement about society. She did not say what Shakespeare role she had played as a student, saying it would steal attention from the situation.
阿德恩说，把单个财务决定作为面向社会的声明是错误的。她没有提及她在学生时代扮演过莎士比亚戏剧中的哪个角色，只是说这样会分散人们对这种情况的关注。
She said, "So I might just leave out the details for now."
她说：“因此我现在可能暂时不谈细节了。”
I'm Gregory Stachel.
格雷戈里·斯塔切尔报道。
New Zealand's government is ending its support for a popular program on the British playwright William Shakespeare.
Shakespeare wrote plays and poems during the late 1500s and early 1600s. He is considered by many to be one of the most important writers in the English language.
The art agency said the program depended too heavily on busy schools, failed to show relevance to today's art, and depended on a kind of art linked to British imperialism.
But many have criticized the decision by the art agency Creative New Zealand. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is among the critics. She also was a former student actor who took part in the program.
Ardern said, "I was a participant in Shakespeare in Schools. I thought it was a great program."
She said students interested in drama and debate have limited opportunities to connect with other students from different schools.
She said, "I was one of those kids. And so I would like to continue to see other kids have those opportunities."
Ardern added that the financial decision was not up to her or the government. Creative New Zealand receives financial support from taxpayers but is run independently.
The Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand has run the school programs, workshops, and events for about 30 years. Students act, direct, make clothing for plays, or create musical performances. The plays are set in current times or have different story elements from the ones written by William Shakespeare more than 400 years ago.
The center has received about ten percent of its yearly budget from the government agency.
Dawn Sanders is the center's chief. She said she was not expecting the rejection last month. It remained in place after a recent meeting. She criticized the decision.
Sanders said more than 120,000 students have been involved in the events and programs over the years. Many go on to work in the theater or film.
Others, she said, have used their acting skills in their jobs. For example, lawyers can become better at arguing their cases and doctors at talking to patients.
Creative New Zealand did not comment.
In its 11-page rejection note, however, one agency member said the center had "proved the ongoing value" of its local and national Shakespeare competition model. Some 4,600 young people join 24 events each year.
The agency official wrote, "The application does make me reflect on the ongoing relevance of Shakespeare." The person questioned if supporting Shakespeare "is most relevant for a decolonizing Aotearoa in the 2020s and beyond." Aotearoa is a native name for New Zealand.
The group that made the decision said that the Shakespeare center seems "paternalistic" and that its request for financial support did not show the relevance to art of current times.
Sanders said she would try to find other financial support and promised the program would continue. Since the dispute became public, she said, people have already given thousands of dollars online.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters wrote on the social media site Facebook about the decision. He strongly criticized the officials responsible.
Ardern said it would be wrong to take a single financial decision and make it a statement about society. She did not say what Shakespeare role she had played as a student, saying it would steal attention from the situation.
She said, "So I might just leave out the details for now."
I'm Gregory Stachel.
Nick Perry Crain reported this story for Reuters. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English.
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Words in This Story
relevance - adj. relating to a subject in an appropriate way
imperialism - n. the effect that a powerful country or group of countries has in changing or influencing the way people live in other, poorer countries
drama - n. the art or activity of performing a role in a play or show
opportunity - n. a situation in which it is possible for you to do something that you want to do
assess - v. to make a judgment about (something)
reflect - v. to think carefully about something
paternalism - n. the attitude or actions of a person or organization that protects people and gives them what they need but does not give them any responsibility or freedom of choice
society - n. people in general thought of as living together in organized communities with shared laws, traditions, and values
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