10th Anniversary Celebration Event and the party went on

By Neide Gaspar - Translation SIG Organizing Committee

Ten years have elapsed since Dr. Gloria Sampaio - a dedicated scholar in the field of translation studies and practice - proposed the creation of a Translation SIG (Special Interest Group). That was a bold move because, as Gloria recalled in her speech at the 10th anniversary celebration, translation was (and still is, in less enlightened circles) a taboo word in EFL. I myself witnessed an episode of open criticism of people who said they could not understand what translation had to do in a TESOL association. Gloria patiently called their attention to the fact that many of the members of the Translation SIG Central Committee were teachers in Translation Courses held at prestigious universities and language schools.

Among those institutions, UNIBERO was a pioneer. They kindly hosted two of the events promoted by the Translation SIG in previous years. It was fitting, then, that UNIBERO be chosen as the venue for our celebration of the 10th anniversary. They not only reserved a cozy auditorium and comfortable lobby for the formal ceremony and cocktail, but took care of the catering details, with the support of tutors and students from their Tourism & Hostelry courses.

On Saturday, November 20, Translation SIG members and friends got together for the celebration, BRAZ-TESOL president Vera Bradford, present with other members of the Board, made the opening speech. Maria Clara Forbes-Kneese, from APIC - Associação Profissinal de Intérpretes de Conferência, who honoured us by accepting the invitation for a talk, presented an overview of translation and interpretation history in Brazil and abroad.

As part of the celebration, we also awarded prizes to the winners of the latest Translation Contest. A panel of judges - Dr. Stella Esther Ortweiler Tagnin, Dr. Marisis de Aranha Camargo, Dr. José Garcez Ghirardi, Ms. Valderez Carneiro da Silva (M.A.) - made the final selection among shortlisted entries. Prizes were awarded to Roberta Freire de Souza and Stela Foley, as first best translations as well as Marcelo Concario and Lais Rodrigues Torres Andrade as second best translations. The judges also awarded honourable mentions to Roberta Freire de Souza and Ricardo Madureira Rodrigues. A cocktail offered further opportunities for friends and supporters to mingle in a pleasant atmosphere. Our thanks to UNIBERO - CENTRO UNIVERSITÁRIO IBERO-AMERICANO, in particular to Monica Derito Ramos (Coordenadora do Curso de Letras, Tradutor e Intérprete), Dr. Cleide Maria Bocardo Cerdeira (Coordenadora de Extensão), Valderez Carneiro da Silva (Supervisora do Núcleo de Estudos de Tradução), Cynthia Ferrari (Supervisora do Laboratório de Eventos do Curso de Turismo), Celso dos Santos Silva (Supervisor do Laboratório de Alimentos e Bebidas) and Fernanda Rotta (Monitora de Extensão).

Our gratitude to Silvana and Lana, our dear friends at the BRAZ-TESOL Central Office, whose expertise and dedication were fundamental for the success of the event.

Last but not least, thanks are also due to all participants in this and in previous translation contests, and to all of those who followed the lead of Gloria Sampaio and others, responsible for making translation studies more popular and more respected.

Momento nada humilde: meu nominho publicado na Newsletter do BRAZ-TESOL Translation SIG, só porque organizei o operacional do evento. Já que esse blog é um reflexo da minha vida, tenho que postar os (poucos) bons acontecimentos profissionais. Só queria saber o que isso pode me ajudar na minha carreira de professora...

Ah, os nomes em negritos são de professores muito queridos... Inclusive do meu atual chefinho!!! Reclamo muito dessa Instituição - assumo! - mas confesso que desenvolvi por ela um carinho muito grande, pelo menos pelas pessoas que estão mais próximas de mim, e fazem o que é possível para que tudo melhore a cada dia!