The power of being understood: International Translation Day 2026

Every year on 30 September, International Translation Day celebrates the translators, interpreters and other language professionals who help people communicate across languages.

This year’s theme, chosen by the International Federation of Translators (FIT), is:

Linguistic Diversity and Language Rights: Translation, interpreting and terminology at the heart of linguistic inclusion

It comes with a beautifully simple subtitle: “The power of being understood.”

As a Project Manager at Atlas Translations, I spend my working days helping people make themselves understood. That might mean arranging an interpreter for an important medical appointment, translating information for patients, preparing legal documents for use in another country or helping an organisation communicate with employees and customers around the world.

From our side of the desk, we see every day that being understood is not merely convenient; sometimes it’s fundamental.

What do we mean by language rights?

Language rights include the right to access and understand essential information, services and opportunities, regardless of the language you speak.

That can mean being able to:

• understand a medical diagnosis or treatment plan;
• participate properly in legal proceedings;
• access education and public services;
• follow important health and safety instructions;
• understand the terms of an employment contract;
• give informed consent;
• communicate your own needs, experiences and decisions.

Simply making information available is not always enough. If someone cannot understand it, question it or respond to it confidently, meaningful access has not really been achieved. Translation and interpreting help turn the principle of equal access into something that works in practice.

Linguistic diversity is about more than the most widely spoken languages

Thousands of languages are spoken around the world, but they do not all have equal visibility, resources or technological support.

Some languages have extensive dictionaries, terminology databases, digital content and language technology behind them. Others are under-represented, marginalised or at risk of disappearing. Even within widely spoken languages, regional varieties and community preferences can make a considerable difference to how successfully a message is understood.

This feels particularly relevant to us this month, as we have just completed an educational translation project in both Māori and Irish. These languages are deeply connected to culture, identity and heritage – and both have experienced periods in which their everyday use was actively discouraged or suppressed. Today, considerable work is taking place to protect, promote and revitalise them. Making educational material available in Māori and Irish does more than convey the information contained in a document. It helps ensure that the languages are visible, valued and usable in modern education and everyday life.

Projects like this also remind us that linguistic diversity is not something abstract. It is sustained whenever organisations make the deliberate choice to include different language communities. This is one reason why we ask clients questions before a project begins.

“Translate this into Spanish” may sound like a complete instruction, but where will the translation be used? Who will read it? Is it for Spain, Mexico, Argentina or several different markets? Is it public-facing marketing, technical guidance or information for patients? Does the audience have particular literacy or accessibility needs?

These details are not unnecessary complications. They help us choose the right linguist, terminology, tone and format for the people who will actually use the content. At Atlas, we often say: we care enough to ask.

The human consequences of getting it wrong

A slightly awkward translation might be irritating in a hotel brochure. In a legal, medical or safeguarding setting, unclear or inaccurate language can have much more serious consequences.

A patient may misunderstand how to take medication. A witness may be unable to give a complete account. A parent may not fully understand information about their child’s education. An employee may miss an important safety instruction.

Professional translators and interpreters do more than replace words in one language with words in another. They consider context, meaning, terminology, culture and the purpose of the communication. They also recognise when something is ambiguous and raise a query rather than simply making an assumption.

For a Project Manager like me, this means looking beyond the word count or the length of an appointment. We need to understand the subject, audience and risk involved so that we can select someone with the right language combination, experience and specialist knowledge.

What about AI?

It would be impossible to discuss language and communication in 2026 without mentioning artificial intelligence!

AI tools have made multilingual content quicker and easier to generate. They can be useful in appropriate circumstances, but they have not removed the need for professional judgement. They also do not serve every language equally.

Tools tend to perform more strongly when a language is supported by large quantities of high-quality digital data. Languages with fewer available resources can be left behind, increasing rather than reducing existing inequalities.

There are also situations where plausible-sounding output is not good enough. When someone’s health, safety, rights, freedom or reputation may be affected, communication needs to be accurate, appropriate and accountable.

A fluent sentence is not necessarily a correct sentence. It may omit an important qualification, misunderstand the context or confidently introduce information that was never present in the original.

Human language professionals remain vital – not as a decorative final check, but as the people who understand the responsibility attached to the work.

Interpreting gives people a voice

Language rights are not only about receiving information. They are also about being able to respond and participate.

A professional interpreter enables a person to ask questions, explain what has happened, express concerns and make their own decisions. This matters in healthcare, courts, education, local government, housing, social care and many other settings.

Friends or relatives may want to help, but relying on them can create problems around accuracy, impartiality, confidentiality and safeguarding. It can also place an unfair responsibility on family members, particularly children.

Providing a professional interpreter gives everyone involved a better chance of communicating clearly and fairly.

The power of being understood

For most of us, using our own language feels completely ordinary. Until we find ourselves in a situation where nobody understands us.

That is what makes this year’s International Translation Day theme so powerful. Behind every document, interpreting booking and terminology decision is a person who needs to understand, and to be understood.

Language professionals help preserve linguistic diversity, but they also do something immediate and practical: they make information accessible, conversations possible and participation more equal.

That work can open access to healthcare, justice, education, employment and public life. It can protect someone from harm, give them greater independence or simply allow them to feel that their voice matters.

Because language rights are not fulfilled just by allowing people to speak.

They are fulfilled when people are heard and understood.

Alex Millward, Project Manager, Atlas Translations.

International Translation Day takes place each year on 30 September. The International Federation of Translators’ 2026 theme is “Linguistic Diversity and Language Rights”, with translation, interpreting and terminology placed at the heart of linguistic inclusion.

Find out more on the International Federation of Translators’ International Translation Day 2026 page.