Now that September is upon us, it is time to plan our celebrations for one of the most significant days in the year for translators, interpreters and terminologists, International Translation Day.

For over 35 years, FIT has been observing September 30 as International Translation Day (ITD), creating an annual theme as the focus for the celebrations. In 2017, after many years of laying the groundwork and advocating for recognition, a project led by then President of FIT and NZSTI member Dr. Henry Liu, United Nations General Assembly recognised 30 September as a UN International Day under Resolution 71/288, to be honoured across the entire UN global network.

As the resolution set out: “The role of professional translation in connecting nations and fostering peace, understanding and development is indispensable to preserving clarity, a positive climate and productiveness in international public discourse and interpersonal communication”.

This year’s theme is inspired by issues surrounding copyright, highlighting both the inherent value of translation and the need to preserve our craft, our profession, and its future.

FIT has long been concerned with copyright, particularly for literary translators. We share concerns with our partners such as the World Intellectual Property Orgnaization (WIPO), the International Authors Forum (IAF), UNESCO and the European Council of Literary Translators’ Associations (CEATL) on the wider copyright challenges in the era of artificial intelligence (AI). These include copyrighted material being used to train AI engines without permission, copyright-related issues in the use of translations in the cultural sector and AI interpreting. Wherever we look in the digital landscape, the necessity for copyright protections for translators, interpreters and terminologists have increased exponentially.

Human connection and communication are important to every fully functioning society, and therefore, so is translation. It's reassuring to note that many organisations, from UN agencies to national governments and universities, are introducing policies on AI implementation and ethics, governing responsible use, recognition and the mitigation of potential harms.

ITD is also a perfect moment to reflect on the importance of deflecting the AI hype of today to protect the profession of tomorrow. Embellished anecdotes around translation as a ‘disappearing art’ dissuade students from studying languages and translation. Yet the essence of translation as a transformative art has not disappeared. It continues to connect nations, build understanding, and inspire hearts and minds towards peace. As part of our priority to ensure a sustainable profession, FIT encourages its members’ initiatives to train, support, mentor, and award emerging translators, interpreters and terminologists at vital stages of their careers. The next generation technology, whatever it is, will need a new generation of professionals, and we need to ensure pathways exist to a viable future in translation interpreting and terminology.

We hope you’ll join with FIT and the global profession this 30 September as we celebrate translation as an art worth protecting. Protecting the art of translation itself, protecting copyright and related rights, and protecting the next generation, are the way to ensure translation’s future and sustainability.