THE FIRST FORUM OF TRANSLATORS OF MONGOLIA CONVENES

Under the auspices of President of Mongolia Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, the National Forum of Translators of Mongolia was held at the State Palace of Mongolia on September 30, 2024.

More than 500 translators participated in the National Forum, exchanging ideas on the challenges facing the field and potential solutions. Participants shared their thoughts on the significance and outcomes of the Forum.

Director-General of MONTSAME Mongolian National News Agency Sodontogos Erdenetsogt: This Forum aimed at explaining and conveying the value, importance, and recognition of translators to both the Government and society of Mongolia

"The “International Translation Day” is celebrated globally on September 30 of each year. For the first time, we are holding the National Forum of Translators of Mongolia to mark this occasion, convening senior and young translators. The initiative for this Forum was launched by the National University of Mongolia, supported by the MONTSAME National News Agency, and sponsored by the Office of the President of Mongolia. Leading up to the Forum, four preliminary panel discussions were held, which were “Addressing the Quality of Translators,” “Preparing Translators,” “Relationship between Translators and Publishers,” and “On Issuing Ranks to Translators.” The conclusions from these preliminary discussions are being shared today. We focused on three main areas. First, Mongolian state and diplomatic translation, its history, and current state. Second, translation in the media sector. Third, literary translation. At the Forum, we discussed the historical origins of translation in Mongolia, how translations were carried out, and what translation works were produced for over 2500 years."

President of the Mongolian Translators Union Chinbayar Onon: I am glad that this Forum is being held at the right time

"I want to emphasize how timely this Forum is. I am delighted. If it had been delayed a little longer, we would have faced challenges. We have been preparing for the Forum for a year. There is a lot to be expected from this Forum. Mongolian translators have long been scattered and weren’t united for a long time. Unity among translators is essential. One of the most urgent matters to address today is the ranking of translators. Quality translators produce high-quality translations. If this standardization isn’t achieved, misunderstandings will continue due to the varying quality and tact of translators and agencies."

Director of the Accreditation Center for Professional Translators and Interpreters of Mongolia and Associate Professor at the Department of Asian Studies of the National University of Mongolia (NUM) Dr. Egshig Shagdarsuren: Today’s Forum is a significant step toward resolving translation issues

"The fact that this is the first-ever Translators Forum makes it unique. It is significant because we are raising issues for the first time. Since September 2, 2024, we have successfully organized four preliminary discussions among translators, which generated numerous proposals that have now been consolidated at the Forum. A set of recommendations will be issued from the Forum. We hope this will create opportunities to address the problems translators face. At NUM, we have been conducting research since 2021, and the findings reveal that professional skills are the most pressing issue. Associations and unions prefer to operate independently rather than working together. Although there has been much discussion previously, practical solutions have been neglected. Today’s Forum will take concrete steps to address and organize these issues."

Honored Culture Figure of Mongolia, Translator, and Poet Nergui Jigjidsuren: We must elevate the quality of translation

"It is difficult to assess the quality of a translation because it requires critique and research. However, in our country, there is a shortage of foreign language-speaking critics and researchers. Secondly, no profession is as intensely solitary as that of a translator. The fruits of democracy have given everyone the freedom to choose their work, so people are learning any language they like and speaking as they wish. For this reason, I believe this Forum will be fruitful in terms of reminding us that we must elevate the quality of translation in Mongolia."

Minister of Education of Mongolia Naranbayar Purevsuren emphasized in his opening remarks that translation in Mongolia dates back to the Khitan era, while Dr. Egshig Shagdarsuren noted that translators existed as early as the Khunnu (Xiongnu) period. Thus, translation has been an essential profession since the dawn of human communication. Even before the formation of state nations, people with different dialects and vocabularies had the constant need to communicate. Alongside this need arose the challenging but rewarding profession of translator. Today, the Forum facilitated discussions and presentations on the difficulties, joys, value, and importance of translation to both the government and society in Mongolia. Since this is the first time such a Forum has been held in Mongolia, it is delightful that many of the senior and renowned translators we admire and grew up learning from were able to attend.

Source: MONTSAME