Press releases

MINSK, 30 September (BelTA) – For the first time the United Nations has celebrated International Translation Day established at Belarus’ initiative, BelTA has learned.

According to the UN, the celebration is meant as an opportunity to pay tribute to the work of language professionals, which plays an important role in bringing nations together, facilitating dialogue, understanding and cooperation, contributing to development and strengthening world peace and security.

“Transposition of a literary or scientific work, including technical work, from one language into another language, professional translation, including translation proper, interpretation and terminology, is indispensable to preserving clarity, a positive climate and productiveness in international public discourse and interpersonal communication,” the post on the UN website reads.

Thus, on 24 May 2017, the General Assembly adopted a resolution on the role of language professionals in connecting nations and fostering peace, understanding and development, and declared 30 September as International Translation Day.

Andrei Dapkiunas, Belarusian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, former Belarus’ Permanent Representative to the UN and a professional translator, congratulated everyone on a new UN holiday. The relevant video has been uploaded to social media. “Today I would like to extend my greetings as a translator by education and by birth rather than a deputy minister or a former ambassador. I wish all my colleagues all the best, success, and health. I want to share my happiness about the fact that the work which is so useful and essential for the international community has been recognized by the UN and the General Assembly,” the Belarusian diplomat noted.