International Translation Day: Translation, an Art Worth Protecting

September 30, 2024 — International Translation Day. The International Federation of Translators (FIT) theme for this year: "Translation, an art worth protecting".

The theme draws inspiration from copyright: translation is a creative derivative work, and translators deserve the rights to be credited, to protect the integrity of their work, and to receive fair remuneration. In a 2024 awash with AI-generated content, the theme resonates more broadly — when a machine can produce a "decent-looking" translation in seconds, the value of good translation as a craft needs to be asserted and guarded all the more solemnly.

FIT's theme statement emphasizes: protecting the art of translation protects not only linguists' livelihoods but the quality of communication in multilingual societies — a public discourse space flooded with poor translation harms everyone. It is also a direct response to the "translation is a disappearing art" narrative: translation is not disappearing; it is evolving with technology's assistance, and the fruits of that evolution need the joint care of institutions and markets.

The best way to protect an art is to practice it to its utmost. Solidarity with colleagues worldwide — happy International Translation Day.