International Translation Day: 30 September 2017
International Translation Day is celebrated every year on 30 September on the feast of St. Jerome, the Bible translator who is considered the patron saint of translators. The celebrations have been promoted by FIT (the International Federation of Translators) ever since it was set up in 1953. In 1991 FIT launched the idea of an officially recognized International Translation Day to show solidarity of the worldwide translation community in an effort to promote the translation profession in different countries (not necessarily only in Christian ones). This is an opportunity to display pride in a profession that is becoming increasingly essential in the era of progressing globalization (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Translation_Day)
Translation and Diversity
The year 2017 marks an historical milestone for all professional translators, interpreters and terminologists, with the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopting Resolution A/RES/71/288, recognizing the role of professional translation in connecting nations, and fostering peace, understanding and development. In the same resolution, the United Nations General Assembly declared 30 September to be UN International Translation Day, celebrated across the entire UN network.
The International Federation of Translators (FIT) is proud to announce the poster for the International Translation Day 2017 theme, ‘Translation and Diversity’. The poster design was commissioned for this one-off momentous occasion and professionally created by Veva Graphics and Design. We thank them for their contribution.
Representing a celebration of language as an expression of our diversity and humanity, the design includes key words from the UN resolution translated in indigenous languages. Highlighting the need for translation in maintaining accessibility and visibility of indigenous languages, this also heralds the upcoming UN Year of Indigenous Languages to be celebrated in 2019.
Cultural diversity is closely tied to linguistic diversity. Losing your language means losing a part of your cultural identity. Translation is important both to maintaining and learning from a culture. Globalization brings greater international cooperation, but the downside of that can be cultural homogenization, which in turn threatens diversity. In an effort to access global markets effectively, products and services are often translated with sensitivity to the target culture, rather than imposing the culture of the source content. This type of translation, called localization, thus supports diversity.
Each culture in the world should be in control of its destiny. By promoting diversity of cultures and languages, we can hope to create a world full of possibilities for learning, growing and sharing a peaceful vision for humanity based on mutual understanding and respect. We thank translators for their contribution to diversity as we celebrate International Translation Day 2017.
Please join FIT and our supporting counterparts WASLI (World Association of Sign Language Interpreters, WFD (World Federation of the Deaf), The European Commission, CEATL (Conseil Européen des Associations de Traducteurs Littéraires), UNESCO Director General, Irina Bokova, and the United Nations in celebrating Translation and Diversity on International Translation Day, 30 September 2017. (http://www.fit-ift.org/translation-and-diversity_itd_2017/) FIT also has links to the poster.
Link to the UN Resolution in English: https://undocs.org/en/A/RES/71/288
And, if you’re in England: https://www.englishpen.org/event/international-translation-day-2017/