AIOU Launches “Encyclopedia of Translation Studies” on World Translation Day

WNAM REPORT: Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) celebrated World Translation Day with a memorable ceremony for the launch of the Encyclopedia of Translation Studies, which the event speakers described as a significant milestone in the advancement of translation knowledge and literary development. On this occasion the University’s Center for Language and Translation Studies also organized a seminar titled “Translation, Shaping a Future you can.”
The chief guest of the event, Dean Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Prof. Dr. Abdul Aziz Sahir hailed the publication of the encyclopedia as a remarkable achievement and an academic milestone for the Center. He emphasized that translation is not merely the transfer of words but a strong bridge between civilizations, cultures and fields of knowledge, bringing people closer together.
Dr. Ghulam Ali, Director of the Center for Language and Translation Studies highlighted that translation is a fundamental tool for scholarly, social and cultural development in the contemporary era, urging the younger generation to take a keen interest in this field. He explained that 21st-century translation studies reflect not just a linguistic process but also intellectual and cultural evolution. He further noted that modern machine translation continues this tradition, combining human insight with artificial intelligence to give translation a new dimension.
Other distinguished speakers included Secretary of the National Book Foundation Murad Al, Director General of the National Language Promotion Department, Professor Dr. Muhammad Saleem Mazhar; renowned columnist and political analyst Dr. Shehzad Iqbal Sham and Dr. Farukh Abbas who highlighted the scholarly and research significance of translation. The speakers emphasized that a strong command of both languages is essential for effective translation. They congratulated AIOU’s Center for Language and Translation Studies on the successful publication of the encyclopedia and expressed hope that this scholarly endeavor would open new avenues for teaching and research.
The event was skillfully hosted by Dr. Lubna Umar with a large turnout of faculty members, researchers, and students who recognized the publication as a historic academic milestone.