The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution on the role of professional translation in connecting nations and fostering peace, understanding and development.
Work on the document was initiated by Belarus with the support of Azerbaijan. The resolution’s co-authors are 27 UN member countries.
Presenting the draft resolution, Permanent Representative of Belarus to the United Nations Andrei Dapkiunas pointed out the timeliness of the document and its symbolic focus not on institutions and structures, but, above all, on the people upon whom the organization’s success depends.
According to Head of the Information Department and Press Secretary of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry Dmitry Mironchik, the uniqueness of the UN resolution lies in the fact that for the first time translation and translators are recognized as an important practical tool for consolidating and preserving multilingualism in the world. The resolution aims to promote cultural and linguistic diversity, as well as contribute to perfecting translation activities in the United Nations.
One of the key elements of the resolution is declaring September 30 — the Feast Day of Saint Jerome, who is traditionally considered the patron of translators — International Translators’ Day.
