Doha, 31 January 2014 - The Translation and Interpreting Institute of Hamad bin Khalifa University, a member of Qatar Foundation (QF) for Education, Science, and Community Development, has announced that registration is now open for its Sixth Annual International Translation Conference.  The event, scheduled for March 23-24, 2015 at the Qatar National Convention Center, aims to explore translation as a key vehicle in the creation of knowledge and the bridging of gaps within and across cultures, in and beyond the Gulf. 

Details have been released outlining the workshops, panels, seminars, and keynote addresses for the conference. Examining the role of translation in the Arab 'Renaissance' (Al-Nahda), Dr. Daniel Newman, Head of the Arabic Department and Course Director of the MA degree in Arabic-English Translation and Interpreting at the University of Durham (UK), will offer a keynote address titled, "The Beginnings of Arab(ic) Translation Theory in the Modern Age:  The 19th-Century Translation Movement Revisited".

Conference attendees will benefit from a variety of seminar choices, including "Audio Description:  The Visual Made Verbal", in which Dr. Joel Snyder, Director of the American Council of the Blind's Audio Description Project-ADP and a pioneer in his field, will discuss making theater events, museum exhibitions, media, and art accessible to the visually-impaired.

Additionally, four workshops held at the conference will focus on the challenges facing translators in the fields of politics, sport, literature, and the media.

From the 58 abstracts the institute received, 22 panelists were selected and will be attending from Egypt, Qatar, Spain, the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Serbia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Sweden, Algeria, Palestine, and the United States. 

Dr. Amal Al-Malki, Executive Director of TII, notes: "TII's Annual International Translation Conference has become a hub for scholarly exchange and professional development and networking. We have created an international forum in Doha on translation and interpreting that cuts along difference disciplines, generating timely and important discussions on such issues as inter-cultural communication, media, gender.

"This year's conference is particularly exciting because of its relevancy.  We bring the Gulf to the equations and situate it in the bigger picture, as both an influencer and being influenced by the different linguistics, cultural and ideological flows."

In order to make the conference accessible to all interested parties, there is no fee to participate and any keynote addresses, panels, workshops, and seminars are open to the public.  As space is limited, interested individuals are strongly encouraged to register early at tii.qa/register_now

About The Translation and Interpreting Institute
Hamad bin Khalifa's Translation and Interpreting Institute (TII) was established with a mission to build translation capacity in Qatar and the region.  Under the umbrella of HBKU and as an initiative of Qatar Foundation, TII is situated in the prestigious Education City. It is a physical and virtual space that delivers sophisticated post-graduate translator and interpreter education, high-level training in a range of languages (Arabic, English, French and Spanish) and quality translation and interpreting services of the highest international standards.

TII will contribute to capacity building in the areas of scholarly research and translator training through its Postgraduate Studies, Research Center, Language Center and Professional Services, delivering a qualified cadre of high-level professionals within the region.

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.

HBKU's 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 UCL Qatar.

© Press Release 2015