UAE Leads Arabic Localization of World Knowledge
The world celebrated yesterday the International Translation Day, which falls on September 30 each year, in recognition of the role played by linguistic professionals in building bridges of understanding between nations and promoting peace and development.
This year comes at a time when the UAE is leading the largest scientific translation movement in the Arab World to promote Arab cultural work and openness to the World’s cultures and knowledge, and to bring the same Arab libraries. The UAE takes upon itself the task of enriching Arabic libraries with the best works of world thought, by translating it into Arabic language, in addition to highlighting the cultural face of the nation by translating the most prominent Arab creations into the languages of the world.
The Translation Challenge, launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, in September 2017, is one of the most significant translation initiatives aimed at providing comprehensive and integrated educational content in the fields of science and mathematics as one of the most important sources of development. Within a year of launching the challenge, it successfully localized 5,000 educational videos, with 11,207,000 words, an average of 500 videos per month, and a total of an estimated 50,000 minutes of video that provide educational courses covering various science subjects such as physics, mathematics chemistry, biology and general sciences, according to a well-studied Arabization plan that will h elp Arab students at all levels of education.
The Translation Challenge attracted more than 51,000 volunteers from across the Arab world with expertise and skills to contribute to the Arabization of scientific content, the production or commentary of educational videos, graphic design, and other visual and technical requirements.
Launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Kalima has been addressing the task of reviving the translation movement in the Arab world since 2007 and supporting the active cultural movement in Abu Dhabi to contribute to the cultural arena on regional and international levels. Every year, Kalima selects tens or hundreds of books from the most important international classical, modern and contemporary works from around the world and translates them into the Arabic language, taking into account the quality and accuracy of publications.
