PURPOSE: The United Nations General Assembly established 30 September as International Translation Day to recognise the work of translation professionals Every year since 2005, the United Nations invites all its staff, accredited permanent missions staff and students from select partner universities to compete in the UN St. Jerome Translation Contest, a contest which rewards the best translations in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish, as well as German, and aims to celebrate multilingualism and highlight the important role of translators and other language professionals in multilateral diplomacy. Interpreters provide simultaneous interpretation from and into the six official languages for the meetings of the General Assembly, the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council and all their subsidiary bodies. A team for a six-language meeting requires 14 interpreters: three per booth for Arabic and Chinese (because they interpret from and into those languages), and two a piece for Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. English and French are the working languages of the Secretariat. Some of the other official languages may also be working languages in the Regional Commissions.
FORUM: ”Translation unveils the many faces of humanity.” World Translation Day 2023. Translation unveils a world of human experience, allowing us a window into cultures other than those we know. As climate and geopolitical shocks resonate across the globe, it also plays an important role in addressing threats to the peace and security, in diplomacy and multilateralism, sustainable development and humanitarian aid, human dignity and human rights. To honour International Translation Day (ITD) this year, we wish to recognise the important role that translation plays in our lives, and celebrate our shared humanity. Translators contributes to the global, cultural existence; so let’s unveil the role of translation in all its facets. Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #Translation, #InternationalTranslationDay; #30September, #languageprofessionals, #translators.
EVENTS: on September 30th, to celebrate the theme for International Translation Day 2023: Translation unveils the many faces of humanity; The FIT Council and the FIT Standing committees are pleased to present the International Translation Day 2023 Poster. This year’s poster will pay tribute to the many human faces and stories made visible through translation.
WEBINARS: Join on October 2nd, 2023, at 2pm CET, the International Translation Day Webinar panel discussion on the topic of "What use the Humanities without humans: the value of human interpreting and human translation in a fragile world." with panelists James Phillips (WIPO), Urtzi Urrutikoetxea (PEN) and Miquel Cabal Guarro (AELC, CEATL). View the flyer or register your attendance now.
Join also the Translation Commons in an online event celebrating the International Translation Day 2023. Under the theme "Unveiling the Many Faces of Humanity" this event will explore the multifaceted aspects of translation and its impact on our global community. The event will provide the context of power dynamics in translation in indigenous languages and will shed light on the intricate dynamics within the translation process, particularly pronounced for Indigenous language communities. This online event is organized within the context of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022-2032), which was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2019. Bringing together a diverse range of stakeholders, including linguists, members of the Global task Force for Making a Decade of Action for Indigenous Languages, artists, activists, interpreters, and more, this event aims to foster meaningful dialog on these crucial topics. Students, educators, speakers of Indigenous languages, language advocates, policy makers, and all interested parties are encouraged to attend.
PODCASTS: The voice of associations of translators, interpreters and terminologists around the world. Official languages are the languages in which all official United Nations documents are made available. Working languages are used for internal communications among staff. Listen to the audio-podcasts!
CAMPAIGN MATERIALS: Enhancing and Facilitating Translation. Get the communications!
WHY WE CELEBRATE THE DAY?
HOW TO GET INVOLVED!
PARTNERSHIPS
Highlight the role of language professionals in connecting nations and fostering peace
The United Nations translators handle all kinds of documents, from statements by Member States to reports prepared by expert bodies. The documents they translate cover every topic on the United Nations agenda, including human rights, peace and security, and development. New issues arise every day. The United Nations documents are issued simultaneously in the six official languages of the Organization (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish). Some core documents are also translated into German. This multilingual documentation is made possible by United Nations translators, whose job is to render clearly and accurately the content of original texts into their main language.
On 24 May 2017, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 71/288 and declared 30 September as International Translation Day. Transposition of a literary or scientific work, including technical work, from one language into another language, professional translation, including translation proper, interpretation and terminology, is indispensable to preserving clarity, a positive climate and productiveness in international public discourse and interpersonal communication.
The United Nations is one of the world's largest employers of language professionals. Several hundred language staff work in UN offices in New York, Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi, or at the United Nations regional commissions in Addis Ababa, Bangkok, Beirut, Geneva and Santiago. Translators are one type of language professionals employed at the UN.
The International Translation Day is hosted by the United Nations General Assembly Conferences and Meetings (UNDGACM), The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). The United Nations Economic and Social Council (UNECOSOC), the United Nations Office in Geneva (UNOG), the UN GENEVA, the United Nations Office in Vienna (UNOV), the United Nations Office in Nairobi, the United Nations Information Centre (UNRIC), the UN Educational, Scientific and Research Organization (UNESCO); the United Nations Secretariat, the United Nations Economic and Social Affairs for Africa (UNECA), the United Nations Economic and Social Affairs for Asia and Pacific (UNESCAP), United Nations Economic and Social Affairs for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC/CEPAL), the United Nations Economic and Social Affairs for Western Asia (UNESCWA), the United Nations Economic and Social Affairs for Europe (UNECE), With the Participation of the International Federation of Translators (FIT), many International Translation services; Librarians and Academics.