With so many important events in translation and interpreting worldwide, it can be difficult to keep up with everything!
One unmissable event was held on 30th September when linguists, experts and researchers from across the world celebrated International Translation Day 2026, hosted by Translation Commons in partnership with UNESCO. Yes, the same UNESCO tasked with identifying, monitoring and preserving our cultural heritage across the world also recognises the importance of languages in doing so.
This is the 10th iteration of International Translation Day. This year’s theme, ‘The Power of Being Understood’ explored setting the tone for global conversations on language rights and transforming those rights beyond words alone into actions and impacts. Experts argued that empowering humans to use indigenous languages in their daily lives, online and offline, will be key to preserving them.
Speakers addressed ways in which indigenous languages can flourish in our digital, interlinked world. Some languages have only recently had keyboard developed so that they can be typed in, with others still waiting. Dependency on country- and culture-specific methods of translation that do not match an indigenous culture were also explored, with the human efforts of those using and preserving indigenous languages being highlighted.
The prestige of specific languages was also explored, reminding us that some children are still punished for using a particular language at school. Linguists assured observers that languages can be used in tandem and don’t have to be in competition with one another to be heard. Machine translation and AI were also discussed in terms of their usefulness and where complications arise.
‘The power of being understood’ is something we impress upon our student interns as they develop their awareness of what it takes to be a conduit for information. Translators and interpreters are responsible for carrying conversations accurately and responsibly.
Translating involves transferring meaning, tone and nuance between languages that often don’t have clear pathways for doing so. Linguists have to develop deep knowledge of languages, how they are used and why something is said a particular way to be able to do this. In our current digital era, experts are tasked with introducing these concepts to machine by way of large language models and empowering translators to reaffirm these key skills.
Held as part of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022–2032), a 2019 United Nations initiative to promote, invigorate and protect Indigenous languages worldwide, ITD2026 reminds us here that English is not enough and to fully understand the world around us, indigenous languages are important tools for future generations. We have a great local example of this in the rediscovery and preservation of oyster beds just last month, with Gaelic and Scots being pivotal to the University of Glasgow’s ecological research on the West Coast of Scotland.
To understand more about how indigenous languages inform the world around us, visit Translation Commons’ official YouTube channel and check out UNESCO’s explainer of this year’s event: Exploring the Multifaceted Aspects of Humanity – International.