2025 Commencement Ceremony | Speech by JD/JM Student LI Anhua

Good morning, esteemed guests, respected professors, beloved parents, and my fellow graduates,

尊敬的来宾，敬爱的教授，亲爱的家长们，以及我亲爱的同学们：

Today, as I stand here representing the graduating class of 2025, I feel deeply honored to share this moment with all of you. This is not just a celebration of our academic achievements. It is a celebration of our resilience, our growth, and the shared journey that has brought us here.

今天，作为北京大学国际法学院2025届的一员，站在这里，我心怀感激与自豪。这不仅是一次对学术成就的庆祝，更是对我们四年来的韧性、成长，以及共同走过的这段旅程的致敬。

When we started this journey in 2021, the world was already changing in ways we could hardly predict. Over the past four years, we’ve faced challenges that reshaped how we live, learn, and connect. A global pandemic that disrupted our routines and kept us masked and distanced. The rapid rise of artificial intelligence that made us question the future of our profession. And shifting geopolitical landscapes that tested the very foundation of transnational cooperation.

2021年，当我们怀揣梦想踏入这片校园时，世界已然变得扑朔迷离。过去四年里，我们经历了一场场深刻的变革：全球疫情打乱了我们的生活节奏，让口罩成为日常风景，让彼此的距离变得遥远；人工智能的迅猛发展，让我们开始重新审视法律职业的未来；而动荡的地缘政治格局，更是一次次拷问跨国合作的基石。

Each of these forces shaped our experience at STL. They challenged us to think critically, to act decisively, and to grow together as a community.

正是这些风云变幻的时代洪流，塑造了我们的国际法学院之旅。它们让我们学会了用批判的眼光看待世界，教会了我们在不确定中果断前行，也让我们在集体中共同成长。

The Spirit of Action and Initiative

实践精神和能动性

One of the most important lessons we’ve learned is this: growth does not come from waiting for change to pass us by. It comes from stepping forward and engaging with it—even when the path is uncertain. It is the spirit of action and initiative.

这四年里，我们学到的最重要的一课便是：成长不在于等待风暴平息，而在于迎着风浪主动出击，即便前路未卜，也要敢于迈步向前。这，便是实践精神和能动性。

When the pandemic forced us into lockdowns, it wasn’t just a test of our adaptability. It was a test of our resilience. We started our mornings lining up for covid tests, joking about how it had become part of our daily routine. We attended classes on Zoom, where unstable Wi-Fi and muted microphones became the new normal. But we didn’t let the distance between us define our experience. We debated fiercely in virtual moot courts, celebrated by taking screenshots of our “Zoom class photos,” and laughed at the occasional cat or toddler wandering into the frame.

当疫情迫使我们封闭在家时，这不仅是对我们适应能力的考验，更是对我们内心韧性的锤炼。每天清晨排队做核酸，竟然成了日常的一部分，我们甚至能在寒风中找到些许幽默感。课堂从教室搬到了Zoom，网络时断时续，麦克风时而静音，但这些都没有阻挡我们前进的脚步。在虚拟的模拟法庭上，我们依然唇枪舌剑；“云课堂”的结业合影，成为我们共同的纪念；偶尔闯入镜头的猫咪或孩子，也总能带来片刻的轻松与欢笑。

When deadlines loomed, we stayed up late together. Fuelled by instant coffee and determination, we edited papers, perfected moot court submissions, and worked on Gao Fa Jian. We studied late into the night, knowing that somewhere across campus—or even across the globe—our classmates were doing the same. These moments taught us that resilience isn’t just about enduring challenges. It’s about creating meaning, connection, and even humor in the face of adversity.

当作业与考试的压力迎面而来，我们选择并肩作战。深夜的图书馆里，我们用速溶咖啡提神，用信念撑起疲惫的身体。我们反复修改论文，打磨模拟法庭的陈述，一遍遍校对高法检的作业。无论是在校园的灯火通明处，还是在世界的另一端，我们都知道，还有无数同学在为同一个目标努力。这些时刻告诉我们，韧性并非仅仅意味着坚持下去，它意味着即便在困境中，也能创造出意义，找到联结，甚至收获一丝幽默。

Then came the rise of artificial intelligence. At first, it felt overwhelming. AI tools promised to transform legal research, education, and even the professional landscape. But they also raised urgent questions: What happens to justice in a world of algorithms? How do we balance innovation with ethics? These questions pushed us to think harder and deeper. They reminded us that as lawyers, our role is not just to respond to change, but to shape it.

而当人工智能的浪潮席卷而来时，我们感受到了前所未有的冲击。从法律研究到职业前景，AI似乎在重塑一切。但它也带来了新的挑战：当算法主导一切时，正义将何以为继？在创新与伦理之间，我们又该如何平衡？这些问题迫使我们去思考更深远的未来。它们提醒我们，身为法律人，我们的职责不仅是适应变化，更是主动去塑造变化。

The Strength of Community

集体的力量

Throughout it all, we always found strength in our community.

在这些动荡与挑战中，我们始终能够从彼此的集体中汲取力量。

To our professors: You were more than teachers. You were mentors who guided us through turbulent times with patience, creativity, and care. Whether it was through a well-timed email of encouragement or an extra Zoom session to clarify a difficult concept, you reminded us that education is not just about knowledge—it’s about connection. Especially to our visiting professors: your commitment and dedication ensured that we could always learn from the best, no matter the distance.

致我们的教授们：你们不仅是知识的传授者，更是我们人生的引路人。在最艰难的时刻，你们用耐心、智慧和关怀陪伴我们。或许是一封及时的鼓励邮件，或许是一次额外的讲解课程，甚至只是课堂上的一句点拨，都让我们感受到教育的真正意义不仅在于传授知识，更在于建立人与人之间的联结。尤其是我们的访问教授：你们的奉献与坚持让我们深受感动。这些付出，不仅为我们提供了最优秀的教学资源，更为我们树立了榜样。

To our classmates: You were more than peers. You were teammates, allies, and friends. We studied together in the library until closing time, walked around campus to clear our heads, and played sports to blow off steam. We shared snacks, ideas, and sometimes even frustrations. Together, we celebrated victories and carried one another through setbacks.

致我的同学们：你们不仅是我的同伴，更是我的战友与挚友。图书馆的灯光下，我们一同奋笔疾书；操场的微风中，我们一起挥洒汗水；深夜的宿舍里，我们分享零食，也分享彼此的烦恼与梦想。我们一起庆祝胜利，亦在失意时彼此扶持。你们让我明白，真正的友谊，是在每一个平凡又不平凡的瞬间里熠熠生辉。

And to our families: You were our foundation. Your unwavering support gave us the strength to keep going. Every late-night call, every word of encouragement, and every proud smile reminded us why we started this journey.

致我们的家人：你们是我们永恒的后盾。无论我们身处何地，你们总是以无私的爱与支持为我们注入力量。你们的每一通深夜电话、每一句温暖的鼓励，以及每一次自豪的微笑，都成为我们前行的动力。

This community—our STL family—was our greatest source of resilience. It wasn’t just the challenges we faced that defined us, but how we faced them together.

正是这个大家庭——我们的国际法学院，赋予了我们面对挑战时的力量。定义我们的，不是我们经历了什么，而是我们如何携手面对这一切。

Looking Ahead

展望未来

Now, as we prepare to leave STL, we carry more than just legal knowledge. We carry the spirit of action and initiative. The courage to step into uncertainty. The strength to adapt. And the determination to lead.

如今，当我们即将离开国际法学院时，我们所带走的，早已不仅仅是法律知识。我们带走的是行动的勇气，是直面未知的胆魄，是适应变化的力量，更是引领未来的决心。

The future may still feel uncertain. The world we are stepping into is complex, dynamic, and full of challenges. But it is also full of possibility and opportunity. Over the past four years, we have proven that we are not just participants in change. We are its drivers.

是的，未来依然充满未知。我们即将步入的世界复杂而多变，充满挑战。但它同样蕴藏着无限的可能与机遇。在过去的四年里，我们已经证明，我们不仅是变革的见证者，更是变革的推动者。

Closing Thoughts

结语

To close, I want to share the words of Justice Benjamin Cardozo:"Justice is not to be taken by storm. She is to be wooed by slow advances."

最后，我想与大家分享本杰明·卡多佐法官的一句话：“追求正义无法一蹴而就，只能跬步千里。”

Class of 2025, let us take these words to heart. Together, we have faced challenges, embraced change, and supported one another. Today, we celebrate not just what we have achieved, but who we have become.

同学们，让我们铭记这句话。我们一起经历了挑战，拥抱了改变，并且在彼此的支持下成长为更好的自己。今天，我们庆祝的不仅是我们所取得的成就，更是我们所成为的那个人。

As we step forward into the next chapter of our lives, let’s carry with us the courage to act, the patience to persist, and the belief that together, we can shape a better future. This is not just the end of our time at STL—it is the beginning of everything we will achieve together.

当我们迈向人生的下一个篇章时，让我们带着行动的勇气、坚持的信念，以及塑造更美好未来的决心。这不仅是我们在国际法学院旅程的结束，更是我们无限可能的开始。

Congratulations to us all. Thank you.

祝贺我们所有人！谢谢大家！