International Translation Day 2024 English PEN programme
This year’s evening programme features a two-part “state of the translation world” conversation, featuring leading translators, editors, agents, booksellers and programmers, followed by a networking reception for in-person attendees and “ask us anything” session for our online audience.
The programme will take place 5–9pm BST, in person at Senate House (Malet St, London, WC1E 7HU) and online.
ITD 2024 is held in collaboration with the School of Advanced Study and supported by the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS).
Programme
Monday 30 September
5–9pm BST (doors 4.30pm BST)
“State of the translation world” part 1: craft, work, business
5–5.55pm BST (in-person doors open 4.30pm BST)
Editor and publishing director of Wasafiri and 2025 International Booker Prize judge Sana Goyal, chairing the discussion, will be joined by Nichola Smalley, award-winning Swedish and Norwegian literary translator, English PEN Translation Advisory Co-chair, and Translators Association committee member; Ravi Mirchandani, publisher of Summit Books at Simon & Schuster, and formerly publisher of Picador; and Safae El-Ouahabi, agent at RCW, representing clients including literary translators. They will discuss pressing issues for the sector related to the craft and labour of translation, rights and representation, and movements in the wider industry. With an audience Q&A for in-person and online attendees.
5.55–6.10pm BST – interval
“State of the translation world” part 2: promotion, ethics, politics
6.10–7pm BST
Sana Goyal, Nichola Smalley and Ravi Mirchandani return to the stage, and will be joined by Tamara Zimet, Programme Director (Adults) at Edinburgh International Book Festival, and Nariman Youssef, award-winning Arabic translator and the new director of the Poetry Translation Centre. They will discuss how we promote translated literature, the ethics of how we do so, and the politics of translation. With an audience Q&A for in-person and online attendees.
Bursary tickets
A limited number of free tickets (in-person or online) for self-identifying low-income translators and literary professionals are available on a first-come-first-served basis. If you would like to request a bursary ticket, please email [email protected], with the subject line “ITD 2024 bursary ticket”. You do not need to include any information about why you are requesting a bursary ticket.
Accessibility information
Senate House is fully wheelchair accessible. The conversation will be BSL-interpreted. If you require any other access arrangements, please contact us at [email protected].