In celebration of the International Translation Day

The National Archives Organizes a Lecture on Translation and Cultural Movement in the Post-globalization Era



The National Archives has organized a virtual lecture entitled “Translation and Cultural Movement in the Post-globalization Era”. It reviewed the translation history, the translation in the Arab World and some significant statistics in UNESCO reports. It also praised some Emirati institutions, such as the National Archives, Kalima and Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, for encouraging translation.

The lecture was delivered in celebration of the International Translation Day and to inform the National Archives’ staff about the translation history, significance and role in the dialogue among cultures and civilizations. It also drew attention to the National Archives’ role in translating the UAE’s history, which is a source of pride, and introducing the UAE achievements, particularly the foundation of the Union as an inspiring model to nations.

In addition, the lecture reviewed the main publications the National Archives translated, namely Zayed, From Challenges to Union, Zayed, Man Who Built a Nation, Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Ruler of Al Ain (1946-1966), and other documented national books and historical documents and lectures, with which the NA enriches cultural circles.

The lectures also shed light on the periodical report issued by UNESCO, pointing out that the total translations by Arabs since the time of the Abbasid Caliph Al Ma’mun until present do not amount to Spain’s annual translations. However, the lecturer indicated that such statistics are biased since one book might be translated with different titles by several publishers in many Arab capitals, due to lack of coordination.

Furthermore, the lecture stressed the importance of enhancing translation to keep bridges between east and west to inform Arabs about the other, present positive image of them, receive the digital revolution inventions and engage the world in the dialogue of cultures and civilizations.

The lecture also pointed out that translation is a culture, and the translator is the intellect who polishes the source text by adding the human sense and place specificity in contrast to literal machine translation which continues to fall short of rendering the texts with all its details.

The lecture, attended by the NA’s employees, tackled the dynamics of translation and cultural movement, translation and intermingling of civilizations and translation in the post-colonial period in addition to other milestones in the history of translation.