For his part, Dr. Kian Ahmed Hazem Yahya, an Iraqi translator and academic, said in a statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA) on the occasion of the International Translation Day that translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text.
Dr. Kian, winner of the Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation in 2018 in the English to Arabic translation category, added that the Award was created to promote cultural dialogue and mutual understanding among nations, recognizing translation’s crucial role in advancing global peace and prosperity.
He said that this award is open to all languages globally, requiring that the target language engage constructively with Arabic through translation or adaptation, indicating that it promotes cultural exchange without discrimination, welcoming Asian and African languages alongside European ones.
In turn, a researcher at the King Fahd School of Translation of Abdelmalek Essaadi University in Morocco Dr. Nadia Al-Ashiri
explained in a similar statement to QNA that translation plays a vital role in bridging gaps between peoples through their diverse languages and cultures, adding that transferring one culture to another encourages mutual understanding and dialogue, reducing fear from unfamiliarity.
The Moroccan translator and researcher affirmed the success of the Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding in building bridges of understanding, dialogue, and coexistence between cultures, by adopting the best translators and critics specialized in several languages, with each session dedicated to a living language, without neglecting less commonly used languages, thus promoting linguistic justice. The large number of translators who are invited are celebrated in a way that encourages them to give more, she said, noting that the award granted by the State of Qatar with this material and moral value places it at the forefront of countries that have given and continue to give translation and translators th
e status they deserve.
More than 7,000 languages are spoken, and few are written. This highlights the importance of translation contributing to the transfer of knowledge between many languages, as it constituted a basic value for the UN, which made Sept. 30 the International Translation Day.
The International Federation of Translators announced that the theme of International Translation Day 2024 is “Translation, an art worth protecting” to be a space for exchanging ideas, perceptions, and aspirations about what is considered success or failure in a profession with no limits to testing and learning.
Events and conferences are organized globally on this occasion to highlight the role of translation in promoting international understanding, exchanging ideas between different cultures, and enhancing global cooperation.
This day is also an opportunity to recognize the efforts of translators and appreciate their valuable contributions to society, in addition to discussing the challenges they face in an era cha
racterized by globalization and accelerating technology.
Since 1991, the International Federation of Translators has begun to officially celebrate this occasion annually, while the UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution to recognize and celebrate this international day in 2017, as 11 countries signed its draft, including the State of Qatar.
In 2015, the State of Qatar established the Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding to honor translators and appreciate their role, both regionally and internationally, in building bridges of communication between nations and peoples. This year, it celebrates a decade of its role in promoting cultural dialogue between peoples.
Source: Qatar News Agency