Alison Rodriguez is President, International Federation of Translators.

Overcoming Babel: Why Translation Is Key to Lasting Peace and Development

Rohingya refugee Abu Ahmed (left), works as a translator helping UNHCR staff member Dini Hasdianti (right) register a fellow Rohingya refugee from Myanmar at a government complex in Lhokseumawe, Aceh province, Indonesia, 18 September 2020. ©UNHCR/Jiro Ose
The International Translation Day 2022 Poster. International Federation of Translators

As globalization flows into every corner of the virtual and physical worlds, and geopolitical and cultural tensions rise, accurate, professional translation mediates the potential cultural and language barriers in politics, national security and diplomacy, as well as between communities.