Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, it is truly a privilege to join such a distinguished group of experts and scholars, diplomats and opinion-makers, politicians and not least, representatives of civil society -- key partners of the United Nations in shaping both policy and practice. They say the United Nations has a way of getting caught in the crossfire between its uncritical lovers and unloving critics. Here at Chatham House, I feel surrounded by true friends, those best defined as loving critics or even critical lovers: well-informed allies of the UN, unwavering but by no means unquestioning supporters. Since the foundation of the UN, the UK has been a cornerstone of our support base. It may have been in San Francisco that the United Nations Charter was signed in 1945, but it was here in London, the following year, that the UN first saw light of day as a working Organization.
翻译练习：
尊敬的阁下，女士们先生们，能和众多杰出的专家，学者，外交官，舆论新闻从业者，政治家，和民间团体的代表们共聚在此，是我的荣幸。虽然放在最后，但民间团体却是帮助联合国制定政策和完善实践活动的关键合作伙伴。有人说联合国常在拥护派和批评派互相指责间进退两难。但今天，在英国皇家国际问题研究所，我感到自己在和真正的朋友相处，你们在给予支持的同时也指出问题所在，绝不是一味的盲目拥护的朋友，是联合国见多识广，知识渊博的盟友。从联合国成立之初，英国便是坚定不移得支持联合国的朋友。1945年，我们在洛杉矶签署了《联合国宪章》，但联合国首次为促进世界和平发挥了积极作用，却是在1946年，在伦敦。
