On September 30, 2013, the International Translation Day, 1^st National Translation Forum of Azerbaijan on “Translation in Azerbaijan – the past, present and future: challenges and the outlook” was held in Baku by Azerbaijan Youth Translators Association with financial support from Azerbaijan Youth Foundation and the Ministry of Youth and Sport of the Republic of Azerbaijan.  The most remarkable event of Azerbaijan’s translation history brought together about 200 translators, linguists, students of translation schools, journalists, as well as representatives from governmental and non-governmental organizations and diplomatic missions.

The chairman of Azerbaijan Youth Translators Association Ismail Jabrayilov, the representative from Azerbaijan Youth Foundation Orxan Arabov and the representative of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Azerbaijan Vusal Guliyev  opened the event welcoming the forum participants and talked about the importance of this event and the actions taken in this field.  FIT was represented in the event by the head of its European Regional Center Eyvor Fogarty, who welcomed the forum participants and delivered the greetings of the FIT President Marion Boers to the forum attendees, and wished success to the participants and organizers. 

The forum took a start with panel discussions on “Translation technologies of the 21^st century. Translation and ICT”. Scientific- research manager of “Dilmanc” machine translation project Samir Abbasov spoke about electronic dictionary projects implemented in Azerbaijan, as well as the current aspects of “Dilmanc” project, including voice recognition system, speech translation etc. The head of FIT Europe Eyvor Fogarty mentioned that even the most excellent programs can’t replace human translation in any case.

In the next panel on “Modern Azerbaijani language”, the head of Terminology department of the  Institute of Linguistics at the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, Sayali Sadiqova and the head of the Department of Lexicography Ismail Mammadov made discussions about translation problems with new terms in Azerbaijani language and realias in the dictionaries respectively. The forum participants emphasized that explanatory dictionaries do not reflect the reality of the current Azerbaijani language and they need to be updated and enriched. Forum attendees offered to apply to Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences on behalf of AGTA emphasizing the need to update the outdated explanatory dictionary of the Azerbaijani language.

In the final panel, some issues like the art of translation, translation market of Azerbaijan, analysis of translators, the problems that translators face etc. were discussed, the member of AGTA Executive Board, professional translator Shahla Agalarova introduced the Code of Ethics developed by AGTA to the translators and highlighted the importance to follow the Code as well.

Deputy Chairman of AGTA Israfil Xakiyev analyzed the translator – customer relationship and raised discussions on the problems and their solutions. The member of AGTA Executive Board, professional interpreter Elmar Farajov shared his opinions about teaching of translation at universities as well as professional translator’s trainings and professional translator Adil Bunyad also talked about the current demands in the fields of translation and interpreting.

This remarkable event was summarized with an award ceremony. AGTA Literary Translation Club was selected as “The club of the Year”, and the member of AGTA, the coordinator of Literary Translation Club Gunel Abilova was declared “The most active member of the year” and trainer Tofiq Sadiqov was announced as “The Friend of Translators”. Also, ten most active members of AGTA and active volunteers that took part in the arrangement of National Translation Forum were rewarded with “The Certificate of Appreciation”.

Thus, Azerbaijani Youth Translators Association, for the first time in Azerbaijan’s translation history, organized the National Translation Forum, which provided a real platform for translators to discuss issues concerning them.

PHOTOS: http://agta.az/2013/10/01/agta-1-ci-milli-t%c9%99rcum%c9%99-forumunu-ugurla-h%c9%99yata-kecirmisdir/