Atlas Translations: News

Atlas Newsletter – December 2007

Atlas Christmas celebrations

Following the Atlas Christmas party, which took place on 14th December, the office has begun its preparations for the festive season. Each year, instead of sending out Christmas cards to clients and suppliers, Atlas Translations makes a donation to three charities. The charities chosen for Christmas 2007 are Cancer Research UK, the world's leading charity dedicated to research on the causes, treatment and prevention of cancer; the DEC, (Disasters Emergency Committee), an umbrella organisation which represents 13 leading UK aid agencies, including ActionAid, British Red Cross, and Oxfam and, finally, SENSE, a support group for parents of children with congenital rubella syndrome.

Xmas Presents

Atlas would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that the office will close on Friday 21st December 2007 at 4pm and will re-open on Wednesday 2nd January 2008 at 9am. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all!

Christmas Traditions on foreign shores

This Christmas, the international Atlas team would like to share some of their country’s Christmas traditions with newsletter readers:

Poland – Agnieszka

Xmas Pudding

"We start celebrating Christmas on Christmas Eve with a 12 course dinner. We are not allowed to eat meat on that day. After eating, we open presents and then we go to church at midnight. Over the next couple of days, we eat and eat and eat and we meet up with family and friends.

China - Rebecca (Yuanyuan)

"Christmas has became more and more popular among young people in China in the past few years. It is a holiday for friends to hang out to have fun together rather than a family reunion. Usually we go to restaurant with friends to celebrate Christmas and then go to do Karaoke or go shopping, as most of the shops will offer a special discount on 24th and 25th Dec.

Germany – Christopher

Xmas Tree

"In the morning on the 24th, the men decorate our Christmas tree and the women cook or do stuff in the kitchen. Then we get ready and dressed up, which takes quite some time (I have 2 sisters and a brother + their partners). At 3pm we have to be at our grandparents place where we meet the family of my Aunt as well. We eat traditional potato salad with sausages, my grandpa holds a speech talking about what has happened to every one over the year and then we receive gifts. Usually it is over by 6pm. We go back home and the children prepare a little play and the parents prepare the gifts and so on. Then it is time for the play and, afterwards, presents and alcohol by the open fire. Because the whole 24th is organized in this way, we don't have many more traditionson 25th or 26th except for the big Christmas lunch on the 25th, for which we usually eat goose.

New National Standards for Translation

A launch event for the revised National Occupational Standards for Translation was held at CILT, the National Centre for Languages’ new premises on 18th December 2007 at 4pm. National Occupational Standards for Translation are statements of the skills, knowledge and understanding needed by professional translators. They help to define good translation practice and can be used by employers to create job descriptions and training courses. The National Centre for Languages is the UK’s Standards Setting Body for languages in work and specialist language professions and elaborated this new set of Standards in collaboration with language professionals and employers nationwide.

Schools to introduce new language qualification

Atlas welcomes the announcement of a Diploma in Languages, which will be made available to young people from September 2011. This new qualification is intended to help build a wider range of options for fourteen to nineteen-year-olds who are keen to continue with their language studies. It is planned to compliment the upcoming industry-focused Diplomas, which will include optional language study and be introduced as of September 2008.

Jumping!

More funding opportunities for budding linguists

The European Commission has just introduced a new funding scheme for linguists, known as Transversal. The scheme, which forms part of the Commission’s Lifelong Learning Programme, will run from 2007 – 2013 and will focus on four key areas, including languages with the aim of supporting European co-operation in education and training.

And in other news…

Many thanks to all of those who attended the most successful Atlas open day yet! In total, over 70 suppliers attended the open day, held in December, where they has the opportunity to meet the Atlas team in person and to get to know more about the company and its range of services

Press/Public Relations

Press Office
Atlas Translations Ltd
Clare Suttie
Director
Phone: +44 (0)20 7240 6666
Contact Press Office
Site: www.atlas-translations.co.uk

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