By Maryam Shah
Every year September 30th is celebrating as Internationale Translation Day Globally.
In recognition of such achievements, the International Federation of Translators (FIT) has announced the theme for International Translation Day 2025:
“Translation: An Art Worth Protecting.”
This theme underscores the deep value of translation as both an intellectual pursuit and a cultural craft. It affirms translation as an indispensable part of global communication—an art form that fosters peace, cooperation, and mutual understanding across nations.
Role of Language Professionals:
International Translation Day is an opportunity to pay tribute to professional translators, interpreters, and terminologists, whose work enhances dialogue, promotes development, and strengthens international relations. Whether in literature, science, law, or diplomacy, these language professionals enable ideas to travel across borders, bringing people closer together.
As highlighted by the United Nations, translation plays a crucial political and cultural role in the success of multicultural, multilingual societies. It is more than a technical process—it is an act of connection and mutual respect.
Copyright and the Digital Age:
The 2025 theme also draws attention to urgent concerns surrounding copyright in the age of artificial intelligence. As AI tools increasingly use copyrighted materials—including translations—to train their models, FIT and its partners emphasize the need to protect the rights of human translators.
Protecting our profession means advocating for copyright education, ethical AI practices, and preparing new translators with the digital skills they need for the future. This ensures that translation remains a viable, respected, and human-centered art.
Celebrating Achievements:
Dr. Lubna Farah’s dedication to literary translation not only promotes linguistic diversity but also strengthens cultural ties between Arabic and Urdu-speaking communities. Her work exemplifies the spirit of this year’s theme and reminds us of the enduring value of human creativity and linguistic expertise.
On this International Translation Day, we celebrate translators like Dr. Lubna Farah and reaffirm our commitment to preserving and protecting the art of translation—for today, and for generations to come.
As we approach September, we are proud to highlight a significant contribution to the world of translation by Dr. Lubna Farah, who has translated 14 notable books from Arabic into Urdu. Her work stands as a remarkable example of the essential role that translators play in bridging linguistic and cultural divides.
