【新闻摘要】
贝宁政府最近给好莱坞"发offer"了！著名导演斯派克·李和妻子托尼娅喜提新头衔——"美国非裔事务大使"。这对明星夫妻的任务是当"文化接线员"，帮离散非洲族群"连WiFi"认祖归宗。贝宁旅游部暗搓搓表示：欢迎各位非裔同胞回来拍电影、办护照，我们连"奴隶海岸"遗址都准备好当取景地了！就是本土演员迪蒙·霍努苏有点委屈："为啥不先找我这个贝宁裔？"
Benin names Spike Lee and wife ambassadors for African-Americans in the US
贝宁任命斯派克·李夫妇为美国非裔事务大使
Spike Lee and his wife Tonya are expected to improve links between Benin and the African-American community
斯派克·李与妻子托尼娅将负责加强贝宁与美国非裔社群的联系
The government says it will help reconnect"people of African descent around the world to their historical, cultural, and spiritual roots".
贝宁政府表示这将帮助"全球非洲裔重新连接其历史、文化与精神根源"
The agreement was finalised during their visit to Cotonou, Benin's capital, last week, French public broadcaster RFI reports.
据法国国际广播电台报道，该任命协议于上周两人访问贝宁首都科托努期间敲定
The couple are expected to serve as"thematic" ambassadors, raising awareness and supporting initiatives to promote Benin's ties with people of African descent.
这对夫妇将担任"专题大使"，提升公众认知并支持加强贝宁与非洲裔族群联系的倡议
Benin has appointed renowned American filmmaker Spike Lee and his wife, Tonya Lewis Lee, a seasoned producer and author, as its ambassadors for African-Americans in the US.
贝宁已任命美国著名电影人斯派克·李及其妻子——资深制片人兼作家托尼娅·刘易斯·李担任驻美国非裔事务大使
The West African country also hopes the move will promote cultural tourism. It has come up with several initiatives encouraging people of African descent to reclaim their heritage and pursue citizenship where eligible.
这个西非国家同时希望此举能促进文化旅游，已推出多项倡议鼓励非洲裔认领文化遗产并在符合条件时申请公民身份
Last year, the government passed a law offering nationality to people with an African ancestor who was taken from their homeland as part of the transatlantic slave trade.
去年该国通过法案，为那些祖先在跨大西洋奴隶贸易中被掳离非洲的人提供国籍
The appointment of the ambassadors follows the recent launch of a website where the descendants of enslaved Africans can apply for citizenship.
此项任命前，贝宁刚上线了供非洲奴隶后裔申请公民身份的网站
RFI reports that Tonya Lewis Lee was among hundreds of people who applied and received a favourable response. She was in Benin last year.
法国国际广播电台报道，托尼娅·刘易斯·李是数百名获得积极回应的申请者之一，她去年曾到访贝宁
In 2019, Ghana launched what it called the"Year of Return" to encourage people of African heritage to go back to the continent.
2019年加纳曾发起"回归年"活动，鼓励非洲裔重返大陆
Spike Lee has previously stated that DNA analysis traced his father's lineage to Cameroon, while his mother's roots were from Sierra Leone. His wife's specific country of ancestry has not been made public.
斯派克·李曾透露DNA检测显示其父系源自喀麦隆，母系来自塞拉利昂，其妻子的具体祖籍国尚未公开
Both have long been advocates for civil rights and social justice in the US in their works. Spike Lee's films are often based on African-American experiences and explore themes of race, identity, and justice.
二人长期通过作品倡导美国民权与社会公正，斯派克·李的电影常以非裔美国人经历为主题，探讨种族、身份与正义
The Benin government said that"through their long-standing commitment to justice, their exceptional creativity, and their global reach", both have"profoundly shaped the contemporary narrative of the African diaspora".
贝宁政府表示"凭借他们对正义的长期坚守、卓越创造力与全球影响力"，两人"深刻塑造了当代非洲离散族群的叙事"
They have not publicly commented about their appointment.
夫妇二人尚未就任命发表公开评论
On the streets of Cotonou, the move has generally been well received.
在科托努街头，这项任命普遍获得积极反响
Student architect Prospère Yehoume, 27, told the BBC it was a"strong cultural message, which could be good publicity for Benin".
27岁的建筑系学生普罗斯佩·耶胡姆向BBC表示这是"强有力的文化信号，能为贝宁带来良好宣传"
Carlos Biogbé, who works in marketing, saw a huge opportunity, saying it could encourage actors and directors to make films in the country.
从事市场营销的卡洛斯·比奥贝认为存在巨大机遇，称这可能吸引演员和导演来贝宁拍片
Secondary school student Basilia Hinvi agreed that it was a good move but questioned why famous US-Beninois actor Djimon Hounsou was not named.
中学生巴西利亚·欣维虽认同这是明智之举，但质疑为何不任命著名的美籍贝宁裔演员吉蒙·霍努苏
Benin's coastline is part of what was once known as the Slave Coast - a major departure point for enslaved Africans shipped across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas.
贝宁海岸线曾是"奴隶海岸"的一部分，这是当年被贩卖非洲奴隶横渡大西洋前往美洲的主要启运地
Between 1580 and 1727, the Kingdom of Whydah, a major slave-trading centre located on what is now Benin's coast, is estimated to have exported more than a million Africans to the US, the Caribbean and Brazil.
1580至1727年间，位于现今贝宁海岸的维达王国作为主要奴隶贸易中心，估计向美国、加勒比地区和巴西输出了超百万非洲人
