In celebration of International Translation Day, the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB) bestowed a special award to the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa (RSA) for its role in constantly providing simultaneous interpreting for all South African official languages, including South African Sign Language (SASL), at a ceremony that took place on Friday, 28 September 2018 at Old Assembly, Parliament of RSA, Cape Town.
On this special day, PanSALB paid tribute to language professionals within the country with special focus on Parliament which plays an important role in the transposition of parliamentary debates and reports from one language into different languages.
“As PanSALB we want to congratulate Parliament for successfully establishing a languages unit with close to 150 language practitioners who offer simultaneous interpreting, translation services, including Hansard reporting (transcription services),” said Ms Angelina Netshiheni, Acting Chief Executive Officer of PanSALB.
In addition to the above, she also stated that Parliament plays a major role in the promotion of multilingualism as a national resource which is also what motivated the award.
Through the award PanSALB recognises the efforts of the parliamentary languages unit that contribute to the creation of conditions for the development and use of the eleven official languages including South African Sign language. Much as this is so, PanSALB is looking forward to a time when Khoe and San languages will also be part of the languages used by the unit.
International Translation Day is celebrated every year on 30 September marking the feast of St. Jerome, the Bible translator, who is considered as the patron saint of translators. The celebrations have been promoted by the International Federation of Translators (FIT) ever since it was set up in 1953. In 1991 FIT launched the idea of an officially recognised International Translation Day to show solidarity of the worldwide translation community in an effort to promote the translation profession in different countries. This is an opportunity to display pride in a profession that is becoming increasingly essential in the era of progressing globalisation.
On 24 May 2017, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted resolution 71/288 on the role of language professionals in connecting nations and fostering peace, understanding and development, and declared 30 September as International Translation Day.
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