Following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between FIT Latin America (FIT LatAm) and the Iberoamerican Terminology Network (RITerm), FIT LatAm held its first Meeting on Applied Terminology in Translation in August. The Terminology Committee of the Colegio de Traductores Públicos de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires (CTPCBA) presented its current projects and held a round table with RITerm members.
In September, we celebrated International Translation Month with Conversations on Translation and Artificial Intelligence (AI). We had three keynote speakers: Jane Kim (Korea), Laura Hurot (France), and Kirti Vashee (San Francisco, USA), who tackled the following themes, respectively: 1. Diversification of the profession in the age of AI; 2. Translator welfare and positioning strategies; and 3. Global business and automated translation.
In November, we had a presentation on mentoring programmes by the Brazilian Association of Translators and Interpreters (ABRATES), including an exchange on best practices for training initiatives that contribute to career development.
Volunteers interpreted the events and participants attended from various regions. The recordings are available here.
Regional training sessions: The Asociación Panameña de Traductores e Intérpretes (APTI) organised two interesting webinars – one in July, about conscious language, and another in October, about the language of neurodivergence. In November, the Asociación Guatemalteca de Intérpretes y Traductores (AGIT) offered an online event to share the results of a survey on certifying interpreters in Central America.
Networking contacts: We are carrying out our strategy of contacting possible new members. In September, we met with representatives from the Asociación de Intérpretes Jurídicos de República Dominicana and the Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (UPC) to introduce the Regional Centre to them and share information about FIT.
We are also working on a database of educational institutions offering training in translation and interpreting in Latin America. To date, we have received information from nine countries: Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Costa Rica, Cuba, Guatemala, Panama, Peru, and Uruguay, representing approximately 70 institutions.
New association in El Salvador: With the invaluable support of AGIT, colleagues from El Salvador have successfully founded their country’s first translators’ and interpreters’ association, the Asociación de Traductores e Intérpretes Profesionales de El Salvador (ATIPES). The official launch was during the opening session of the AGIT seminar (SEMAGIT). Mary Ann Monteagudo, FIT LatAm President, opened the event, and colleagues from across the region attended to get to know the ATIPES Board and welcome the new association.
Presidents meeting: On Saturday 9 December, we held a new meeting FIT LatAm association presidents, where we discussed managing social networks. Our social team, consisting of volunteers from the Colegio de Traductores del Perú (CTP) and the Asociación Argentina de Traductores e Intérpretes (AATI), offered training for association leaders and teams in charge of social media communications.
We will start collaborations with other Regional Centres on joint activities, which will be announced in the first half of 2024. Watch this space!
We already have a location for our next meeting, which will take place at the end of May 2024 in Lima, Peru. More details to follow shortly.
Training sessions organised by FIT LatAm
Marita Propato, FIT LatAm Vice President