Abu Dhabi International Translation Conference Concludes With A Discussion On Arab Heritage In Other Languages

The 7th Abu Dhabi International Translation Conference, titled "Word to the World", aimed at highlighting the role of translation in building bridges between disparate cultures concluded at the Cultural Foundation in Abu Dhabi

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 28th Nov, 2019) The 7th Abu Dhabi International Translation Conference, titled "Word to the World", aimed at highlighting the role of translation in building bridges between disparate cultures concluded at the Cultural Foundation in Abu Dhabi.

The two-day event was organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi.

Internationally renowned and award-winning authors, academics, translators, and publishers from the region and beyond gathered to discuss the role of literature, and translation as an effective tool for transferring knowledge, forging connections, and enhancing understanding between people and nations.

The last session of the conference, "Arabic Experiences in Translation into International Languages", highlighted the reality of translation from Arabic and ways to drive this movement. Participants included Khaled Osman, an Egyptian translator and novelist; Raphael Cohen, a British researcher and translator, and Dr. Rania Ezz El-Arab, an academic and translator at Alexandria University in Egypt. The session was moderated by Argentinian translator, President of the International Association of Translators, Aurora Humaran.

Osman stressed that as most Arab publishing houses do not have distribution channels in foreign countries, the translator has a greater responsibility to select, nominate and translate the best Arab works to be able to compete internationally.

He also stressed that the biggest challenge is for Arab literature to regain its place and produce a positive image that moves away from the prevailing stereotypes.

El-Arab related some of her experiences in translation, explaining the most significant obstacles facing translators.

In parallel to the event, a number of practical workshops were held and attended by a wide range of university students to introduce the participants of the conference to the essence of Arab culture. Filmmaker, Emad Ernst, led a workshop titled "Drama and Photo Translation Skills for Comics, Film, and Television", during which he stressed the importance of raising awareness about the translation of these creative arts.

Mohammed Al Saadi led a second workshop titled "Can a Robot Replace the Translator?", in which he provided a glimpse into machine translation. The third workshop, "Translation Challenges for Children and Young Adult Books", was led by Rai Abdulal, who reviewed the best practices in translating books for children and adolescents. A final workshop, "Academic Programmes for Teaching Translation from and into Arabic", was led by Dr. Boutheina Khaldi, who explained the most prominent theories in translation and the development of language skills.