September 30 will mark the seventh International Translation Day (ITD) since its establishment by the United Nations (UN). First launched in 2017 as a day to celebrate the professionals tirelessly facilitating multilingual communication, ITD is not just a symbolic holiday — it’s a great reason for the translation community and the wider industry to come together, educate each other, and reflect on the shared values that make the language world turn. #ITD2024 is no different, and many organizations are celebrating it through a variety of events. Here are five notable examples.
FIT: “Translation, an art worth protecting”
Like every year, the International Federation of Translators (FIT) has chosen a theme to focus on for this year’s ITD. Turning their attention to the issue of copyright in translation, FIT calls for “the recognition of translations as original creative works in their own right, owed the benefit of copyright protection under the Berne Convention.” It focuses on protecting translation as a creative art, highlighting copyright issues and the rights of translators in the digital age, particularly against the backdrop of AI developments. The organization will hold an ITD webinar on September 27, the details of which will be published on the FIT website soon.
English PEN’s annual ITD celebration
English PEN is celebrating on two fronts! Their own ITD 2024 event will consist of a two-part discussion on the state of translation — covering craft, labor, ethics, and promotion — and feature translators, publishers, and industry professionals. The event, held on September 30 both in-person in London and online, is supported by the School of Advanced Study and the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society. English PEN, in collaboration with the United Kingdom (UK)’s National Centre for Writing, also provides a nationwide program list of events and activities organized across the UK in celebration of ITD.
Celebrating ITD in Orange County
The Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) will be celebrating ITD with a special event on September 30, honoring language professionals in education. This free event will feature expert presentations, networking, and discussions on AI’s impact on the industry. It aims to recognize the essential work translators and interpreters undertake in breaking down language barriers, specifically within school communities. The celebration will take place at the Norma Hertzog Community Center in Costa Mesa, California, and you can register to attend it here.
Translation Commons: Highlighting indigenous languages
Translation Commons, one of the largest volunteer translation communities, will hold an online ITD event spotlighting indigenous languages around the world. The event, linked to the UN’s International Decade of Indigenous Languages, will feature speakers from diverse backgrounds and include a discussion on the Meta/UNESCO partnership for the “No Language Left Behind” project. They will cover topics such as ethical issues in translating indigenous languages, emphasizing indigenous sovereignty. The event will be held on September 30 and streamed on their YouTube channel, where last year’s ITD event is also available for viewing.
ProZ’s two-day ITD event
Finally, ProZ, the current largest database of freelance translators, will be commemorating ITD on September 25 and 26 with a series of free, live-streamed presentations and workshops. This event will focus on the evolving translation industry, providing valuable insights, networking opportunities, and resources to help translators and interpreters adapt to current industry trends. The call for speakers is still open, and ProZ is looking for experts on topics such as the future of translation with AI and machine learning, specialized fields like medical and legal translation, and audiovisual translation such as subtitling and dubbing. Other key themes are transcreation, game localization, freelance career strategies, data security, marketing translation, and interpreting in crisis situations.
