Saudi Arabia Joins Global Community To Celebrate International Translation Day On September 30

Saudi Arabia recently celebrated International Translation Day on September 30, highlighting the importance of translation in spreading culture and knowledge globally. The Kingdom's Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission, part of the Ministry of Culture, spearheaded the celebrations. This initiative underscores Saudi Arabia's commitment to enhancing the translation profession and fostering cultural exchange.

The Arab Observatory for Translation (AOT) was launched by the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission in collaboration with the Arab League Educational, Cultural, and Scientific Organization (ALECSO). This project marks a significant advancement in tracking translation activities involving Arabic. It serves over 350 million Arabic speakers worldwide, with Arabic ranking among the top five most spoken languages globally.

AOT is ALECSO's first regional entity in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries since ALECSO was founded 54 years ago. It aims to provide accurate statistical data on translation trends. AOT plays a crucial role in transferring and localising knowledge within the Arab world using innovative technology. It acts as a reliable digital reference for cultural data.

The AOT offers a bibliographic database of translated books published in the Arab world. It generates annual statistical reports that give an accurate picture of translation activities both regionally and internationally. Since launching its digital platform, AOT has catalogued over 90,000 translated titles to and from Arabic and awarded 212 research grants in translation.

Additionally, the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission introduced the Tarjim initiative. This programme supports translating over 1,800 books, more than 80 academic journals, and over 900 cultural articles. These efforts involved 800 translators from 33 countries.

International Translation Forum

The International Translation Forum has made notable progress by hosting 26 dialogue sessions led by translation experts. It also organised 39 workshops that attracted over 4,000 participants. These events have significantly contributed to advancing translation skills and knowledge sharing among professionals.

In collaboration with the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, UNESCO Chair in Translating Cultures was launched. This partnership aims to further enhance cultural understanding through translation efforts.

Saudi Arabia's initiatives reflect its leading role in promoting joint Arab cultural efforts. By bridging communication gaps across Arab communities, these projects enrich cultural content globally while portraying an accurate image of the Arab world through credible data sources.

With inputs from SPA