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AAU College of Humanities Conducts Language Translation Training

Addis Ababa University (AAU) College of Humanities, Language Studies and Journalism & Communication in collaboration with French Embassy to Ethiopian and special support of the Department of Linguistics launched a five day Translation Training at AAU Main Campus on the 31st of October 2022.

Information from program coordinators of the Training revealed that a number of trainees from different language departments, journalism and communication of the University and other participants from the Ministry of Culture and Sport attended the Training.

Derb Ado (PhD) Associate dean for Research and Technology Transfer, on his opening remarks indicated that Addis Ababa is a seat for several diplomatic institutions and these international bodies in the City need Translation for their operational activities. Translation needs knowledge and skill, and this Training can be a good step towards attaining it, he added.

Our country, Ethiopia, is the land for diversified languages; these languages are useful assets to us; translation and interpretation duties are very vital to use these resources effectively. Though the translation program in our context is a little bit late, this Training hopefully lays the establishing ground,” Dr. Derib intensified.

Yohannes Beyene (PhD), coordinator for the Training program, pointed out in his remarks that it is a new beginning and an opening of the door to design the curriculum for the Translation program to be operational in Addis Ababa University.

According to Dr. Yohannes, the trainees are expected to involve in the preparation of the Translation curriculum and engage in due delivery of the courses to be conducted in the University.

Mme Claire Pountous, project coordinator from the embassy of France, in her remarks underlined that the embassy’s assistance to the fulfillment of the opening of the Translation Department at AAU will always be there with the project she has been coordinating.

According to the project coordinator, her office in addition to assisting the training and the overall performance of the newly opened Translation Department at AAU, it will be dedicated to translating different books from Ethiopian local languages and English to French.

She finally confirmed that Translation in general is a very important program to invest on more human and material resources for multi-cultural and multi-lingual countries like Ethiopia.

Amanuel Alemayehu (PhD), the dean for the College, in his closing remarks acknowledged the Embassy of France for its overall assistance in launching the new Translation Department, and the trainer as well as trainees for their active participation they rendered on the program.

The staff reporter learnt that the College commenced a new Translation Department in liaison with the Training held for five days from 31st Oct. to 04 Nov. 2022.

 The Training was delivered by Prof. Antonia Cristinoi and ended with awarding of certificate to the trainees from the hands of honored guests, Marjorie Peguorie (PhD), Cultural Attaché, French Embassy and Ahmed Hassan (PhD), director for the Office of External Relations Partnerships and Communications of AAU.

Reporter: Zelalem Moges

Photo: Tsion Aysheshim

Editor: Abraham Girmay