The Asociación Argentina de Traductores e Intérpretes (AATI) Professional Conference on Translation for Publishing Houses is a unique event where professional translators and editors network with writers, interpreters, proofreaders, and other representatives from the world of translation for publishing houses. For over nine years, this must-attend event has been held in late April as one of a series of professional conferences that are part of the Buenos Aires Book Fair, attended by established representatives of culture and literature.
Attendance has increased to capacity in recent years, with queues becoming a common sight at the most recent event. This is all thanks to the variety and timeliness of the topics covered, as well as more widespread awareness of the event, which is now a mainstay of translation for publishing houses, and of the conferences themselves.
Since 2022, AATI has added a preconference workshop option. Four workshops were on offer this year, with high demand for tickets: ‘Translating (adapting, versioning) children’s literature’, ‘Translating essays: an overview of publishing practices’, ‘Metre and nuance in free verse: a poetry translation workshop’, and ‘Translation contracts: when the commissioner is the author of the original work’.
As a member of AATI’s Copyright Committee, I must say that I love these meetings, and I love being ‘behind the scenes’ at the conferences. It makes you feel like you are part of something big. Work starts in November or December with the organisation of the next year’s conference at a committee meeting. We follow this with regular meetings to manage all the details, and so that each person can give their best as part of a strong, well-established and, above all, supportive team.
As part of the organisation committee, I am responsible for contacting speakers and moderators, and for promoting the conference through various channels. I am also in charge of registration for the workshops and the conference, and for answering questions from the public. I wholeheartedly share their enthusiasm for the proposal, which is apparent from the attendees who travel from the other provinces in Argentina, or those who live nearby and set aside their time to join us; from the groups of translation students who come along every year; and particularly from the members of the various working groups that collaborate with AATI’s Board, because we share a love for our profession and showcase it at every event.
Silvana Borghi, AATI