St. Jerome, the translator of the Bible, has always been considered the patron saint of translators and interpreters. This is why September 30, the Feast of St. Jerome, was chosen to celebrate the profession.
In 1991, FIT (the International Federation of Translators) launched the idea of an International Translation Day. Since then, translation professionals have taken advantage of this celebration to express their pride in being one of the fastest growing professions in the world. They have also used it as an opportunity to raise the public’s awareness about their role in facilitating global communication.
This year, the theme for International Translation Day is Language Rights: Essential to All Human Rights - a very relevant and timely message for the world in which we live. In order to protect human rights, we need to first bridge the language gaps that separate people. “The recent FIT Congress in Berlin, Germany unanimously called upon national governments and the international community to protect the local translators and interpreters in conflict zones and to respect the impartiality of the work of translators and interpreters” said the President of the FIT Council in his message.
We invite you to join us in this celebration.
