Human and social responsibility on the agenda for 8th Annual International Translation Conference

Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s (HBKU) Translation and Interpreting Institute (TII), part of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS), will host its 8th Annual International Translation Conference at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) on the 27th and 28th of March. The only one of its kind held annually and exclusively for translation and interpreting scholars and practitioners in the Middle East, the conference provides a platform for experts in the field to discuss the profession’s role, its challenges and push the boundaries of its potential.

This year’s event focuses on ethics and social responsibility in practice for a profession that very often deals with sensitive domains such as law, politics, healthcare, socio-economics, and activism. Dr. Amal Mohammed Al Malki, Founding Dean of CHSS, noted: “Translation and interpretation are going to take center-stage in coming years within the broader field of communications. Our conference aims to help government institutions, private enterprise, and non-profit organizations develop an understanding of how to solve challenges facing the profession. Human and social responsibility is at the forefront of these challenges today. It is our responsibility to build bridges between different cultures and viewpoints and retain a sense of a responsible global community, based on a universal value-system.” 

Renowned regional and international influencers in the field will be taking part in the conference as panel members. Among them will be Khaled Al-Maeena, Editor-in-Chief of Arab News, the largest English language newspaper in the Middle East, and renowned Saudi television news anchor and talkshow host. Al-Maeena’s commentaries on society and politics are highly regarded and widely published, both locally and globally, and his experience is guaranteed to enrich the debate.  

Over the course of two days, the conference will hold eight separate panel discussions on a wide range of topics dealing with social responsibility. Some of the topics covered will include citizen media, audiovisual translation, role of interpreters within the media serving in conflict zones, and conference interpreting. Two individual workshops are also scheduled for participants on the subject of “Translation Ethics: Identification, Analysis and Response to Ethical Issues in Translation” and “Practices and Benefits of Translation in Legal, Health Care and Community Areas.”

Register to attend the upcoming 8th Annual International Translation Conference by visiting www.tii.qa//8th.