Have you ever wondered that this world is full of languages so when world leaders meet each other or greets people of other countries how do they communicate? And that's where a role of a translator becomes so important.
Translators role just isn't limited to politics infact they are very valuable in entertainment industry like when see any content in foreign media we needs translation for it to understand. The role of a translator is indispensable in maintaining productive, positive, and clear interpersonal communication.
To celebrate and honor the professional of translation the United Nations created a day called International Translation Day which is annually observed on 30th September.
| Event | International Translation Day |
|---|---|
| Date | September 30, 2022 |
| Day | Friday |
| Significance | The day recognizes translation professionals |
| Observed by | World wide |
International Translation Day History:
Throughout the human history the translation has played a key important in inter-connecting the different societies in the world so that the information regarding knowledge can be shared globally. As we know that various human settlements developed all across the world with their different languages so during this time translators played a very important role in communication.
International Translation Day also coincides with the feast day of St. Jerome, a priest, and scholar who is credited with the first translation of the Bible. Thousands of years ago, St. Jerome embarked on a journey to translate the Bible from Hebrew into Latin. St. Jerome is called the patron saint of translators for his efforts to make the Bible accessible to a far wider audience.
Translation have always been very important for the spread of knowledge and technology too as in the case of St. Jerome. Besides religious texts many other important things like new discoveries, inventions or techniques were also translated in order to spread it to all over the world. And we also know that those who got knowledge first led the world through their dominance so it is very important for the development of the society.
The day has been promoted by International Federation of Translators (FIT) since its establishment in 1953. In 1991 FIT launched the idea of an officially recognized International Translation Day to show solidarity with the worldwide translation community in an effort to promote translation as a profession that has become increasingly essential in the era of globalization.
On 24 May 2017, the United Nations General Assembly passed resolution 71/288 declaring September 30 International Translation Day, recognising the role of professional translation in connecting nations. The draft resolution A/71/L.68 was signed by eleven countries which are Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Paraguay, Qatar, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Vietnam.
International Translation Day Significance:
Ever since the United Nations was created, translators have played a great role in bringing all 51 founding nations on the same page which they never were earlier. The United Nations recognizes that all civilizations and their respective cultures are crucial enablers of sustainable development. Hence role of a translator is very important in bringing all these different cultures together without any misunderstanding and miscommunication.
It has seen throughout times that even after wars nations or people groups had to negotiate at last so why not do a table talk first only as lot of things can be achieved diplomatically and that voice can be only reached among different language groups if there is a proper translation available. Hence translation is very important for our world peace too as it also helps in bringing people and rulers together.
Languages play a key role in safeguarding cultural diversity and promoting intercultural dialogue. It also helps in strengthening cooperation, building inclusive knowledge societies, mobilizing political will and preserving cultural heritage. Multilingualism is also regarded as a core value of the organization by the United Nations General Assembly. So this day also encourages people to learn more languages.
At the same time, there is also a need to overcome the linguistic boundaries and thus maintaining good communication and understanding between the peoples of the world and language translators play a very important role in this. As passing valuable information so that it can reach everyone is never a small thing but a huge thing and hence it must be appreciated always.
Despite all of the importance of translators in our society and world, it was seen that they are not getting recognized and a proper respect wasn't being shown to them. So concerned about this trend only the International Federation of Translators came up with this concept to have a day in honor of the translators and that's why we are celebrating this today. It is observed all around the world with various events, seminars and competitions based on language being conducted
International Translation Day Theme:
The International Translation Day theme for this year's 2022 set up by the FIT is "A World Without Barriers."
This theme signifies the need for a united world for the better future of our world. As even today in 21st Century we are seeing that there are many misunderstandings among different nations and cultures and this can be solved only when they try to listen to each other and way to do this is translation, so this day urges people from all over the world to break the barriers and be a little tolerant too see the point of view of others too and while doing so also encourages to learn other languages so that you can understand it even better and this will create a sense of harmony too.
Most Searched FAQs on International Translation Day:
1. When is International Translation Day observed?
International Translation Day is annually observed on 30th September.
2. What are the languages of UN?
There are six official languages adopted by the UN which are Arabic, Chinese, French, English, Russian and Spanish.
3. What is the theme of International Translation Day 2022?
The theme of International Translation Day 2022 is "A World Without Barriers."