For International Translation Day 2018 we’ve put together some information and ideas on how and why you should be celebrating
What’s it all about?
International Federation of Translators (IFT) came up with the idea in 1953 to celebrate the contribution of translation and translators to bringing nations together, facilitating dialogue, understanding and cooperation, contributing to development and strengthening world peace and security.
We happen to agree with this, and since last year it’s been officially recognised following the 2017 UN resolution 71/288, designating the 30th September as International Translation Day. The aim of making it official was to acknowledge “the role of professional translation in connecting nations and fostering peace, understanding and development.”
Why 30th September?
The date is because September 30th is the Feast of Saint Jerome, translator of the Bible into Latin for the Vulgate. It was a pretty important translation, so worth celebrating.
Are there any other language days in the calendar you should know about?
International Translation Day is an annual celebration, so be sure to make a note for next year too. However, if a single day isn’t enough for you, the whole of 2019 will be the International Year of Indigenous Languages.
What can you do about this?
If you’re looking for a way to make the most out of the day, here are five ways to celebrate International Translation Day:
- Attend an event
- Subscribe to a journal that actively publishes literature in translation – see this list
- Buy that book in translation you’ve been meaning to get for a while now!
- Play some translation-theme games – here are some good ones, and one of our favourites
- Spread the word
(Thanks to the Center for the Art of Translation for inspiration: https://www.catranslation.org/blog-post/5-ways-to-celebrate-international-translation-day/)
So, whatever you’re up to for International Translation Day 2018, have a great one!
