International Translation Day honors the crucial work of translators and language professionals around the world on September 30th. The United Nations created the day in 2017 through Resolution 71/288. It aims to celebrate the accomplishments of the professionals who help in international communication, understanding, and collaboration, thereby contributing to global peace and security.
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Background of the day
On May 24, 2017, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) issued a resolution establishing this day. Eleven countries signed the resolution, acknowledging the importance of the work done by language specialists.
September 30 was chosen to honor these specialists because it corresponds with the feast day of St. Jerome, who is credited with interpreting the Bible, Christianity’s sacred text. He was a priest from northeastern Italy who translated the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament to Latin. Since then, The Bible has been translated into 3,350 languages, making it the most translated book in the world.
Theme of International Translation Day 2024
International Translation Day 2024‘s theme is “Translation, an Art Worth Protecting: Moral and Material Rights for Indigenous Languages.”
This theme will highlight the need for preserving native tongues and their translations. It will address ethical problems around data collection, copyright, and the usage of translated works. The day will focus on the issues that individuals around the world experience when acquiring data and translating native languages, as well as how these challenges are managed while adhering to industry standards.
Significance of the day
Understanding a variety of languages is critical for maintaining cultural diversity and promoting international collaboration and interaction. Without the assistance of language experts, it would have been extremely impossible to overcome language obstacles due to cultural diversity and local dialects and maintain effective communication.
Translators play an important role in improving and maintaining global peace and security by promoting conversation and mutual understanding. This particular day is intended to show gratitude to translators for their exceptional hard work and inspire them to continue their outstanding job. As the world grows more interconnected, the demand for language specialists and translators will only go up.
Most translated books of the world
Here are six of the most translated books of world literature after the Bible:
- The Little Prince: A must-read classic and a children’s literature novella. It was originally published in French in 1943 by Antoine de Saint-Exupery and has since been translated into over 380 languages.
- Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland: Lewis Carroll published the most known and loved fiction book in 1865. The children’s novel has been translated into 174 languages thus far and adapted into various mediums of entertainment. It details the story of a girl named Alice who falls through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world of anthropomorphic creatures.
- The Communist Manifesto: A political pamphlet Written by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in 1848, the book has been interpreted into 200 languages from its original language, German, around the world.
- The Pilgrim’s Progress: The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World to That Which Is to Come is a 1678 Christian allegory written by John Bunyan. The religious allegory of Christianity has seen translation into many languages since then.
- The Alchemist: This most famous life-lessons novel by Brazilian author Paula Coelho, is definitely known all around the world. It has been translated into more than 80 languages from its original, Portuguese.
- One Hundred Years of Solitude: The book is a must for every literature enthusiast that focuses on Magical Realism. It was originally written in Spanish by Gabriel García Márquez in 1967. The fiction novel has been translated into numerous languages.
