HBKUs TII Fifth Annual International Translation Conference Program, themed Global Translation Flows, to be held April 13 -15 at QNCC

Doha, 6 April, 2014

The Translation and Interpreting Institute (TII) of Hamad bin Khalifa University (HBKU), a member of Qatar Foundation for Science, Education, and Community Development, announced their Fifth Annual International Translation Conference program. The conference, sponsored by Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Publishing, is set to attract a broad range of audiences. The 2014 Translation Conference program includes two keynote addresses, four interactive panels, two seminars and several workshops, and will take place at the Qatar National convention Center (QNCC) from April 13-15, 2014. Dr. Abdeslam Benabdelali, a prominent Moroccan scholar and Professor at the Mohammed V University Agdal, will analyze the concept of translation and identity on April 13^th, while Dr. Barbara Michalak-Pikulska, Head of the Arabic Department and Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Jagiellonian University in Krak?w, will discuss Arabic Literature through Polish Eyes on April 14^th. The keynote addresses are open the public.

The conference panels focus on this years overall theme, Global Translation Flows with each session covering a complementing topic, including Systems and New Models of Translation, Translation and Cultural Flows, The Representation of Local Events in Global Media and Translating Rhetorical Devices and Autobiography. In addition, four graduate students from TIIs  Master in Translation Studies program will also present their graduation projects, highlighting different topics concerning translation, such as Translating Implicit Language and Metaphor in Very Short Stories from Arabic to English: Examples from Zakaria Tamers Facebook Page, Al-Mihmaz, Aboulela's Faith from the Beginning: Translating Autobiography in a Changing Register, Qatari Culture (Under)Represented? Analyzing Subtitles of the First Qatari Feature Film Clockwise and Translating Narrative Theory: Towards More Collaborative Debate between Theorists and Practitioners.

The conference also includes seminars, a component first introduced for this years event.  Dr Stephan Vogel from Qatar Computing Research Institute will address Machine Translation Friend or Foe on April 13^th, and Gilles Gauthier, the Counselor to the President of the Arab World Institute in Paris, will host a seminar on April 14^th titled Reflecting on Translation as a Civilization.

Major experts in translation and interpreting will lead workshops on medical translation, media translation, simultaneous interpreting, consecutive interpreting, and the translation of political discourse. Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Publishing will also conduct two workshops on literary translation, jointly led by experienced literary translators and prominent authors. These workshops will be held across the three day conference, and require pre-registration via TIIs website. 

The closing session will commerce on April 15^th, chaired by Dr. Moneera Al-Ghadeer, Director of Postgraduate Studies and Research at the Translation and Interpreting Institute. The discussion will highlight the translation revival in the GCC and globally. Prominent and distinguished scholars will also participate in the closing session, including: Prof. Abdelsalam Benabdelali from Mohammed V University-Agdal, Prof. Fayza ElQasem from Ecole Suprieure d'Interprtariat et de Traduction (Paris), Prof. Wail Hassan from New York University-Abu Dhabi, Inaam Kachachi who is the Paris correspondent for Asharq Al-Awsat and Kol Al-Usra, and Nariman Youssef from the Qatar Foundation Partnership with the British Library.

Further details on the conference are available online at www.tii.qa/conference. Early registration for workshops is encouraged due to limited space availability.  The keynote addresses, panels, and seminars are all open to the public. For more details, please visit the website above.

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About The Translation and Interpreting Institute
The Translation and Interpreting Institute (TII) is part of Hamad bin Khalifa University. Founded with a remit to build capacity in Qatar and the region and to function as a physical and virtual space within which sophisticated translator and interpreter education, high-level training in a range of languages, and quality translation and interpreting services are delivered to the highest international standards, TII also provides a platform for conducting cutting edge research in the field and is committed to fostering an environment that is supportive of cultural exchange and scholarly excellence.

Led by a distinguished international team of faculty and staff, TII consists of a Postgraduate Studies section, a Research Center, a Language Center and a Professional Services section. It organizes a wide range of international and local events throughout the year, many of which are open to the public.

About Hamad bin Khalifa University
Hamad bin Khalifa University (HBKU), a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, is an emerging research university building upon unique collaborations with local and international partners. Located in Education City, HBKU seeks to provide unparalleled opportunities for scholarship, teaching, discovery, and learning for all of its students through an array of interdisciplinary programs.

HBKUs partners are Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Texas A&M University at Qatar, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar, Northwestern University in Qatar, HEC Paris in Qatar, and University College London Qatar.

Press Release 2014