The 19th International Conference on Translation (ICT-19) drew its final curtain after commencing for three (3) days from 24th to 26th May 2023. This year, for the second time, the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) was given the honour of hosting the conference. Previously in 1999, IIUM hosted ICT-7. In ICT-19, representing the host, IIUM Press, and the Department of Library and Information Science (DLIS) collaborated with the permanent organizers: Malaysian Translators Association, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP), and Malaysian Institute of Translation & Books (ITBM) in organizing the event. Also, this year’s conference invited the Malaysian Federation of the Deaf (MFD) as the collaborative partner.
This biennial conference was first organized in 1984. It was an initiative by MTA and DBP prompted by the awareness of the importance of translation as the means of core knowledge transfer in advancing the nation and its people. ICT has stood steadfastly as a well-known landmark among those involved in the translation world, locally and internationally. The event is the sole international conference on translation organized in Malaysia that welcomes everyone in the translation industry, including academicians, policymakers, practitioners, publishers, researchers, students, and the public.
Corresponding to ICT-19’s theme, Global Translation for Rahmatan ‘lil ‘Alamin, the event offers opportunities to exchange knowledge, practitioners’ experiences, studies outcomes, and the latest ideas in the translation field. These activities clearly illustrate the critical role of translation in ensuring that the transmission of knowledge is clear, accurate, and within the context of Rahmatan ‘lil ‘Alamin (Global Well-being) as a universal humanitarian and welfare service that is present in all corners of this world. Generally, the conference discussions encompassed training, well-being aspect, Islamization through translation, as well as issues and challenges in areas such as translators’ professionalizing, translation and interpretation ethics, translated books publication copyright, technological development in Malay translation, latest technological advancement – ChatGPT, Artificial Intelligence (AI), sign language translation, semiotic aspect, etc.
The post-pandemic inaugural ICT-19 presented 33 selected working papers, including four (4) policy papers by the co-organizers: IIUM, MTA, ITBM, and DBP. Five (5) plenary papers were presented by the invited presenters, namely Professor Dr. Ahmad Faris Ismail (IIUM), Professor Dr. Mohammed Zeki Khedher (International Computing Institute for Quran and Islamic Sciences (Jordan), Professor Claudia V. Angelelli (Herriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom), Ms. Alison Rodriguez (President of the lnternational Federation of Translators, France), and Professor Dr. Omar Hassan Kasule (Professor of Epidemiology and Islamic Medicine. Institute of Medicine, University of Brunei Darussalam). The ICT-19 participants and presenters came from several countries: China, Indonesia, Iraq, Singapore, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Malaysia.
The 2023 conference illustrated the hard work of the co-organizers: IIUM Press, MTA, DBP, and ITBM, where each has an excellent track record in translation. Congratulations to the host and co-organizers for the remarkable continuity of the ICT organization by having ICT-19, 2023.
In the forthcoming ICT-20, the permanent organizers welcome the next host – Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS). Let us travel to Sarawak, and may continuous excellence be with the future organization!
