Skip to content

UPCOMING EVENT

International Translation Day 2025

Indigenous Language Translation, Shaping A Future You Can Trust

Tuesday September 30th, 2025
|
Virtual
|
7:00 am – 9:30 am PDT (4:00 pm- 6:30 pm CEST)
Indigenous art pattern

What is the goal of this year’s International Translation Day?

This online event aims to build and reinforce trust in Indigenous language translation by emphasizing the irreplaceable value of human expertise in ensuring accuracy, cultural sensitivity, and the preservation of spiritual significance. We’ll explore the evolving roles of Indigenous language professionals in the digital age, examining how technology, including AI, impacts their work while highlighting the importance of intergenerational collaboration and community-led initiatives. A key focus will be navigating the ethical considerations of AI in Indigenous language contexts, addressing concerns like data ownership, privacy, and bias, to ensure that technology supports, rather than hinders, the vital work of Indigenous language preservation and revitalization.

Event Concept Note
Wavy Placeholder
Upcoming Event Info

UNESCO and Translation Commons are organizing a joint virtual event to celebrate the International Translation Day within the context of The International Decade of Indigenous Languages.

Learn more on UNESCO’s site

Go to UNESCO site →

Event program at a glance

This event will explore the evolving roles of Indigenous language professionals in the digital age, emphasizing the irreplaceable value of human expertise in ensuring accurate, culturally sensitive, and trusted translations. We’ll navigate the ethical considerations of AI in this field, focusing on community-led approaches to leverage technology responsibly for Indigenous language preservation and revitalization, ultimately creating a future where these languages are not only thriving but also safe.

Full Event Program

Theme 1: The Enduring Trust in Human Voices

emphasizes the irreplaceable value of human expertise in Indigenous language translation, asserting that lived experience and community involvement are crucial for accuracy, cultural sensitivity, and preserving the spiritual depth of these languages.

Theme 2: Navigating the Future

emphasizes the need for an evolving skillset, intergenerational collaboration, and community-led initiatives to shape the future of Indigenous language preservation and revitalization in the digital age.

Theme 3: Ethical Pathways in the Digital Age

critically examines topics such as AI’s limitations and biases with low-resource languages, addressing crucial ethical considerations like data ownership, privacy, and the development of community-led frameworks for responsible AI use.

Meet the Speakers

This event brings together speakers from Indigenous Peoples Organizations, academia and other public and private organizations working with Indigenous Peoples and language professionals from all over the world. Check out who you’ll be hearing from at the event:
Speaker Cards Section
Speaker 1
Ms. Jeannette Stewart
Founder Translation Commons, (USA)
Speaker 2
Mr Guillerme Canela de Souza Godoi
Director for Division for Digital Inclusion and Policies and Digital Transformation, Communication and Information Division, UNESCO, (France)
Speaker 3
Dr Jandhyala Prabhakar Rao
Professor of Linguistics, University of Hyderabad, India Member (India), UNESCO-IFAP Bureau Convener, Consortium on Global AI Ethics Network for Social Good (GAIEN4SG)
Speaker 4
Ms Fesaitu Solomone
CEO, The Centre for Pacific Languages (New Zealand)
Speaker 5
Dr Natasha MacDonald
Vice President, Heritage Lab (Canada)
Speaker 4
Mr. Tex Texin
Globalization Architect, Board of Advisors, Translation Commons (USA)
View Speaker Bios

Contributors

Translation Commons is sincerely grateful to all our behind-the-scenes volunteers who have worked so hard to bring this exciting event to fruition by offering their skills, time, passion, and generosity. Our speakers shed light on the very important and often overlooked area of Indigenous language in its many settings in the modern world. And our partners provided guidance and infrastructure to conceive of and conduct the program. We are truly grateful for the honor to work with all of you. Thank you for your contributions.

View ITD 2025 Team
Wavy Placeholder
Stay Updated on ITD News

STAY UPDATED ON ITD NEWS

Join Us Section
Join Us
Stay ahead in the ever-evolving landscape of language recognition, digitization, and preservation. Whether you’re looking to deepen your understanding, showcase your innovations, or simply connect with like-minded individuals, our virtual events provide the perfect opportunity. Explore our upcoming events, contact us if interested, and become part of a vibrant community dedicated to the future of language in the digital world.

Verified by MonsterInsights