The
Faculty of Language Studies at the Arab Open University organised a
distinguished academic celebration to mark **International Translation Day**,
convened under the theme:
*“Linguistic Diversity and Language Rights: The Power of Being Understood.”*
The event brought together an elite cohort of professors specialising in
linguistics and translation from several leading Egyptian universities,
including Ain Shams University, Al-Azhar University, Suez University, and Badr
University. It was further distinguished by a robust academic presence from
Egypt as well as from numerous branches of the Arab Open University across the
Arab world. This gathering underscored the pivotal role of translation as a
bridge facilitating communication across languages and cultures, and as an
indispensable instrument for fostering mutual understanding and advancing
linguistic diversity.
The celebration featured opening addresses by **Professor Mohamed Samir Hamza,
President of the Arab Open University – Egypt**, and **Professor Aziz Thabit
Saeed, Professor of Linguistics and Central Dean of the Faculty of Language
Studies at the Arab Open University – Headquarters**. These addresses centred
on the evolving landscape of translation in the contemporary world, the
integration of artificial intelligence within the field of translation, the
attendant challenges, and the strategies required to address them effectively.
Professor Aziz elaborated upon the University’s Master’s Programme in
Translation, emphasising its alignment with the most recent advancements and
its incorporation of an artificial intelligence component as an integral
element in the professional formation of the translator. He advocated the
strategic, deliberate, and carefully regulated deployment of machine translation,
ensuring that the human translator remains the guiding intelligence directing
the machine, rather than the reverse.
The proceedings further affirmed the imperative of remaining abreast of the
rapid transformations unfolding in the domain of translation—particularly those
associated with artificial intelligence—while steadfastly preserving the human
and cultural dimensions of the translator’s role, and of cultivating heightened
awareness of linguistic diversity together with the rights of speakers of diverse
languages.
This initiative forms part of the sustained commitment of the **Arab Open
University in Egypt** and its Faculty of Language Studies to the promotion of
scientific research, the strengthening of academic dialogue, and the provision
of scholarly platforms dedicated to the examination of emergent issues in
languages and translation. Such endeavours are fully consonant with the
University’s mission to deliver high-quality academic education and to maintain
an open engagement with global developments across the spectrum of knowledge.
