The translation of Italian works through the initiatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Centre for Books and Reading.
30 September is International Translation Day
Categories: Uncategorized -Culture and creativity -Language and education -Literature and Publishing
30 September is International Translation Day, an anniversary recognised by the United Nations to pay tribute to the work of language professionals and to emphasise the importance of literary translation as a tool for international dialogue. The date of 30 September is no coincidence, as this day also marks the feast day of St. Jerome, who is considered the patron saint of translators. St. Jerome was an Italian monk and author of the ‘Vulgate’, the first Latin translation of the Bible from Greek and Hebrew manuscripts, which for centuries represented the canonical translation of the Bible for the entire Catholic Church.
The International Translation Day provided us with the opportunity to focus on the state of Italian books in the world and the measures introduced in recent years by institutions to support translation. According to the AIE report of 2021, Italian book exports worldwide have tripled in the last 20 years. In 2020, 8586 titles were exported, equivalent to 12% of the new books produced. Europe is by far our main market, but the figure for Asia and Central and South America is growing, a sign that Italian literature is generating interest that goes beyond European borders.
At the same time, Italian publishing’s interest in what comes from abroad remains alive. In fact, still in 2020, more than 13 thousand titles were purchased or translated, representing 17% of our publishing market.
Over the years, therefore, the translation of Italian works abroad has become increasingly important for spreading Italian literature and culture around the world. This is demonstrated by the growing commitment of institutions to support this practice, in particular through the initiatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Centre for Books and Reading. We talked about this with Councillor Simona Battiloro, Head of Office IV of the General Directorate for Public and Cultural Diplomacy of the MAECI, and Angelo Piero Cappello, Director of the Centre for Books and Reading.
Book production represents the culture of a country. Consequently, when you export Italian books, you are exporting a piece of Italy. Thanks to translations, we are able to bring out our values, our culture, our human heritage and we also allow people who would not normally have access to it to get acquainted with a little bit of Italy. In this sense, translations definitely represent a soft power tool.
stressed Councillor Simona Battiloro.
