Celebrating International Translation Day
On the 30th of September, professionals from the translation, interpretation and terminology sector celebrate International Translation Day.
Each year an overarching theme is selected, and a competition takes place to design a poster for the members of the International Federation of Translators to use to promote the event and symbolise the annual theme.
In 2021, due to COVID-19 restrictions and the change in the way we see the world the theme is “United in Translation”.
In this blog, we’ll be explaining what the event is, the benefits, and why it’s celebrated on a specific date every year.
A Day of Tribute
On May 24th 2017, the General Assembly implemented Resolution 71/288 which officially recognised the role of language professionals in bonding nations and developing harmony, awareness and international progress, thus declaring the 30th September as International Translation Day.
International Translation Day is an important opportunity to celebrate the work of language professionals, who play a key role in forging bonds between nations, creating dialogue opportunities, understanding international agendas, and contributing to a clearer alliance between countries.
Converting various works from one language to another through professional translation, interpretation, and terminologies, plays a fundamental role in creating an open line of dialogue without language barriers.
But Why September 30th?
September 30th marks the feast of St. Jerome.
St. Jerome was a renowned priest from Northeast Italy, or Stridon as it was then known. He is known predominantly for his work translating a considerable portion of the Bible into Latin from the original Greek scriptures of the New Testament. Jerome was also responsible for translating parts of the Hebrew Gospel into Greek.
St. Jerome was of Eastern European Illyrian ancestry and his mother tongue was an Illyrian dialect, although he would later learn Latin through his education and develop his skills in both the Greek and Hebrew languages through study and travel later in life.
Jerome died near Bethlehem, Jerusalem on 30th September 420 – over 1,600 years ago.
Why Is International Translation Day Significant?
As we move towards an ever increasingly connected world, the role of translation professionals becomes more and more important.
The UN creates international days as a means of creating considerable awareness and widespread support for causes across the globe. International Translation Day is a powerful advocacy tool to spread the word and celebrate the work that translation professionals do to create a better world.
Cross-Border Endeavours
Without the ability for countries to extend their hand across borders and hurdle potential language barriers, it’s very possible that many entities that we know today would no longer be able to function. In fact, the UN itself is a very large example of this in action, since it’s able to work with language professionals in a diverse array of industries to undertake projects of worldwide importance.
These range from environmental projects and gender quality programmes to scientific research and economic growth, all of which rely on robust language and translation protocols, to ensure all parties have the opportunity to collaborate and offer their input.
Saving Lives
As the old saying goes, “knowledge saves lives”, and it’s impossible to spread knowledge unless you can surmount language barriers.
Our sponsorship partner Translators Without Borders is a good example of a non-profit organisation that takes steps to hurdle barriers in order to convey vital information to those in areas of the world dealing with poverty, war and other humanitarian issues.
The organisation translates and interprets more than ten million words annually, with the aim of providing linguistic resolutions in areas suffering with mostly unexpected emergencies – such as natural disasters or areas impacted by increasing military conflict.
By offering vital information on emergency procedures, health care and evacuation procedures, organisations like Translators Without Borders continue to save lives.
Boosting Economies
The world is smaller than it’s ever been before, and businesses of all sizes are looking to take advantage of major technological strides to target audiences across the globe. Of course, this is certainly not possible if you don’t understand the nuance of their language.
The most basic tool you’ll need in your armoury is a multilingual website that is capable of performing well in your target region – and for this you and any other business out there will need a high-quality translation service.
Translators will also help businesses understand the landscape of their target regions, which means they will need to understand how business operates, the culture and the nuances of their language.
Takeaways
Translators across the world play a crucial role in bringing together businesses, communities, and governments.
With three-decades of experience in the linguistics industry, and a working understanding of over fifty different languages, we can offer you a range of help and advice for your next translation project.
If you have any further questions on what we’ve covered in this blog, or you’re interested in hearing more about any of our other services, get in touch today.
