Ready to celebrate International Translation Day 2023? Let’s pay tribute to the many stories translation makes visible.
International Translation Day (ITD) is celebrated on September 30th each year. This day recognizes the important work of language professionals.
Translators, interpreters, and terminologists foster dialogue and understanding, building bridges between nations. They play a key role in connecting cultures and people.
Keep on reading to learn more about International Translation Day and its motto for 2023.
A historical milestone for language professionals
In 2017, the United Nations General Assembly declared 30 September as International Translation Day.
This day recognizes the political and cultural role translators, interpreters, and terminologists play in our interconnected world. It acknowledges that their services are instrumental in global development.
Why 30 September?
The choice of 30 September as ITD is linked to the day of St. Jerome’s feast.
St. Jerome was a Christian scholar and priest. His mother tongue was the Illyrian dialect, but he learned Latin in school and was fluent in Greek and Hebrew.
His claim to fame is his translation of the Bible into Latin, a work known as the Vulgate. St. Jerome’s dedication to making sacred texts accessible to a wider audience led to him becoming the patron saint of translators.
ITD’s themes
Each year, a theme is chosen to celebrate IDT around the world. These are the slogans that resonated with the language community in previous editions.
- 2022: A world without barriers
- 2021: United in translation
- 2020: Finding the words for a world in crisis
- 2019: Translation and Indigenous Languages
- 2018: Translation: promoting cultural heritage in changing times
- 2017: Translation and diversity
2023 theme: Unveiling the faces of humanity
Translation is a gateway to different human experiences, offering insight into other cultures. With thousands of languages spoken worldwide, effective communication is essential for mutual understanding.
Think about it in these terms: language rights are human rights. Everyone has the right to use their preferred language. Often, this requires the presence of translators and interpreters.
Let’s dig into some of the different facets of translation:
- Relief of humanitarian crises.
Understanding and being understood can be a matter of survival.
In the face of conflict, famine, or disaster, translators and interpreters provide access, dignity and connection for those in need. They are examples of diplomacy and advocacy.
- Relief of health crises.
Think about the COVID-19 pandemic. Interpreters risked their own health so that patients could communicate with their doctors and receive proper care.
- Creating connection.
Stories transcend cultural barriers when readers can grasp the essence of a literary work in their own languages. They can relate to the text, and connect with universal human experiences.
- Cross-cultural understanding.
Translation makes cultural expressions (e.g., literature and art) understandable to speakers of different languages.
This enables people to appreciate other values and helps preserve cultural diversity.
Based on this year’s theme, the International Federation of Translators (FIT) presented a poster to “pay tribute to the many human faces and stories made visible through translation”.
Unveiling the faces of our translators
We’d like to introduce some of our in-house translators to you. And delve into their motivations and thoughts about their profession with these 5 questions.
- What inspired you to become a translator?
Translation crossed my path 14 years ago due to personal circumstances. Since then, the passion to learn something new every single day is my driving force. When I translate, I feel that I’m creating because every translation is an invention.
Ángeles Blanes – Biotechnology Team Coordinator
- What skills make a successful translator?
Successful translators identify the multiple layers of signification and intentionality in a text. They create a localized product that is culturally and compellingly fit for its target audience, always delivering on the clients’ expectations and observing strict quality standards.
Iván Martín – Translator & Editor
- What’s the role of a translator in the global community?
Translators build communication bridges between the different members of the global community. They remove all language barriers, making intercommunication between equals happen. Translation produces analogous effects by different means, using a voice of its own.
Enrique Martínez – Translator & Editor
- How do you see the translator’s work 10 years from now?
In my opinion, the role of translators will evolve in response to technological advances and changes in the global landscape. AI will play an increasingly important role in translation. Yet, human intervention will continue to be invaluable in ensuring accuracy, cultural adaptation and contextualization of texts.
Professionals who embrace technology, specialize and adapt to changing demands will thrive in the translation landscape of the next decade.
Carmen Martínez, Translator & Editor
- What do you enjoy most in your profession?
For me, it’s undoubtedly the variety. You get to work with so many different subject matters that you’re always learning and acquiring new skills along the way. It’s like a brain teaser. It can be intimidating at times, but after you translate something new, you feel amazing!
Ana Pisa, Portuguese Team Coordinator
As a language service provider, we are very proud of our team. Each one of our translators and interpreters deserve our recognition for their work and commitment.
