Every year on September 30th, the world celebrates International Translation Day to raise awareness about language professionals and languages. Languages play an important role in societal development. International Translation Day 2022 aims to honour the work of language professionals as well.
As per the United Nations: “International Translation Day is meant as an opportunity to pay tribute to the work of language professionals, which plays an important role in bringing nations together, facilitating dialogue, understanding and cooperation, contributing to the development and strengthening world peace and security.”
International Translation Day: History
The feast of St. Jerome, the Bible translator and patron saint of translators, is celebrated on September 30th, according to the United Nations. St. Jerome, according to the United Nations, was a priest from North-eastern Italy who is best known for translating the majority of the Bible into Latin from Greek manuscripts of the New Testament. In addition, he translated portions of the Hebrew Gospel into Greek. He was of Illyrian ancestry and spoke the Illyrian dialect as his first language. He learned Latin in school and became fluent in Greek and Hebrew through his studies and travels. According to the UN, Jerome died near Bethlehem on September 30, 420.
On May 24, 2017, the General Assembly adopted a resolution on the role of language professionals in connecting nations and fostering peace, understanding and development, and declared September 30 as International Translation Day.
International Translation Day 2022 Significance
The significance of International Translation Day 2022 is promoting and celebrating the translation profession and bring awareness about languages.
International Translation Day 2022 Theme
This year’s International Translation Day theme is ‘A World Without Barriers.’ The International Federation of Translators (FIT) has also announced the launch of its annual poster competition to commemorate International Translation Day 2022. According to FIT, the competition is open to any professional designer — whether related to a FIT member or not — who creates a poster to honour professional translators’ pivotal role in promoting a world without barriers, thus contributing to the preservation of culture and cultivating global understanding and lasting peace.
