On 30 September, we celebrate St Jerome’s Day, honoring the father of translation who translated the entire Bible into Latin. International Translation Day is also marked on this day. While often overlooked, translation plays a vital role in spreading peace, inclusivity, and sharing knowledge. Today, it is a good time to reflect on how translation impacts our daily lives and perspectives.

When we think of international peace agreements, we often picture diplomats and political leaders signing treaties and delivering speeches. However, behind the scenes, translators are working diligently to ensure these agreements are accurately and sensitively translated. This crucial role was officially recognized during the 71st United Nations General Assembly with the adoption of resolution 71/288, which emphasizes the importance of translation in fostering global peace.

As Alison Rodriguez, President of the International Federation of Translators, points out, clear communication is vital in diplomacy. Accurate translations of key documents help prevent misunderstandings and ease diplomatic tensions, while poor translations can lead to confusion and unrest. In this way, translators play an indispensable role in ensuring clear communication between nations and institutions, helping to unite the world.

The translation profession plays a crucial role in enhancing the inclusivity and accessibility of society. A prime example of this is Braille. While it may not immediately come to mind in discussions about language, Braille is a vital form of communication. In the UK alone, there are around 340,000 people registered as blind or partially sighted, many of whom rely on Braille to navigate the world around them independently.

Consider the various legal and personal documents people encounter, such as tenancy agreements, divorce papers, and employment contracts. For some visually impaired individuals, these documents need to be translated into Braille to ensure they can understand the contents without depending on others. This accessibility does not just make day-to-day life more manageable; it empowers individuals by giving them the autonomy to engage with their world directly.

The key to this independence is translation. For a written text to be converted into Braille, a qualified professional must translate it. In this way, translators play an essential role in making society more inclusive, ensuring that those who experience the world differently can still access it fully. Through their work, translators contribute to the empowerment and inclusion of individuals who might otherwise face barriers to understanding and participation.

Translation is not only vital for fostering inclusivity but also for respecting and preserving multiple cultural identities in multilingual countries or regions. While many nations, such as India, South Africa, Canada, Belgium, and Switzerland, have rich multilingual traditions, let’s focus on two examples: Wales and Spain.

In Wales, for instance, when driving through the countryside, you’ll notice road signs written in both English and Welsh. This is the result of long-standing campaigns aimed at preserving the Welsh cultural identity, which many fear is being eroded by the increasing Anglicisation of the region. The inclusion of the Welsh language on road signs and in other public services helps to create a sense of linguistic and cultural equality between the English-speaking majority and the Welsh-speaking minority. This recognition of Welsh not only preserves a vital part of Wales’ heritage but also promotes inclusivity, ensuring that both languages are respected and valued. In this way, translation becomes a powerful tool for maintaining cultural diversity and fostering social cohesion in multilingual societies.

A similar dynamic exists in Spain’s Basque Country. Much like in Wales, when visiting the region, you’ll notice that road signs, hospitals, police stations, and other public services incorporate both Basque and Castilian (common Spanish) into their daily operations. Even cultural landmarks, like the renowned Guggenheim Museum, display art descriptions in Basque, Castilian, and English. This not only acknowledges but also elevates the Basque language to equal standing with Castilian—a significant gesture, considering that this has not always been the case.

The use of Basque in everyday life has deep socio-political significance. It’s part of a broader effort to preserve Basque identity, an area historically fraught with political and social tensions. But what ties these examples together? They all depend on translation.

Translation serves as a bridge between the practical need for a broader population to understand the world around them and the inclusion of minority language speakers who might otherwise feel excluded from their own communities. Through translation, these multilingual regions foster a more inclusive environment, where cultural and linguistic diversity is not only acknowledged but actively respected and preserved.

Throughout history, countless works and profound knowledge have been produced across the globe, written in thousands of languages, all contributing to the progress of humanity and our understanding of life. From the literary masterpieces of authors like Shakespeare, Esquivel, and Strapi, to the groundbreaking scientific studies of Volta, Shiung-Wu, and Archimedes, humanity’s understanding of the world has expanded exponentially over time.

What unites these figures? They spoke different languages. For their ideas and discoveries to be shared beyond their native regions, their works had to be translated. Without translation, billions of people would not have had access to these vast pools of knowledge, and the advancement of human civilization would have slowed considerably. Translation has been the key to spreading groundbreaking ideas and understanding the world from diverse perspectives.

Moreover, translation played a vital role in the dissemination of internationally significant cultural and religious texts, such as the Qur’an, Torah, and Bible. These texts have had a profound impact on shaping societies, beliefs, and cultures worldwide. For better or worse, they altered the course of history, and without translation, our perception of reality and our shared human experience would be vastly different. Translation, in essence, has been a driving force behind humanity’s collective growth and understanding.

Throughout history, translators have played a crucial role in fostering peace, promoting international cooperation, and creating inclusive societies. Translation has not only propelled the advancement of human civilization, but it has also shaped how we, as inhabitants of this planet, perceive, process, and experience life itself, as well as the natural world around us. So, the next time someone downplays the importance of translation as a profession, remember that translators have been instrumental in guiding humanity’s journey, offering us the insight and understanding to navigate the complexities of our world.

Ready to explore the incredible impact of translation on our world?