Diplomats at UNECA Stress Local Languages as Key to Global Cultural and People-to-People Ties

Addis Ababa, October 1, 2025 (ENA)— Greater attention must be paid to work on Introducing Local Languages as a means to promote local languages and foster stronger international cultural and people-to-people ties, according to diplomats at UN ECA event.

This was the central message delivered by ambassadors and diplomats during an event organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) to mark International Translation Day.

 The celebration brought together representatives from across the globe, highlighting the indispensable role of translation in facilitating cross-cultural communication, enhancing mutual understanding, and preserving linguistic and cultural heritage.

 Delivering opening remarks, Melaku Geboye Desta, Acting Director for Regional Integration and Trade Division at the ECA and Coordinator of the African Trade Policy Centre, emphasized that translation is much more than the act of converting words from one language to another.

 “Translation serves as a bridge between languages, allowing us to share diverse perspectives, transmit cultural values, and foster a deeper understanding among people around the world,” Melaku said. “It is through translation that we connect with the knowledge and worldviews of different societies, including those embedded in local and indigenous languages.”

 He further underlined the significance of translators and interpreters in safeguarding linguistic diversity.

 According to him, local languages are repositories of ancestral wisdom, identity, and cultural memory. Therefore, translation not only promotes communication but also contributes to the survival and revitalization of these languages for future generations.

 Echoing these sentiments, Zhang Wei, Deputy Head of Mission of China to the African Union, remarked that translation plays a crucial role in strengthening bilateral and multilateral relations by facilitating meaningful dialogue and cooperation between nations.

 Nehiza Alaoui M'hammdi, Ambassador of Morocco to the ECA, the African Union, and Ethiopia, stressed the importance of recognizing and supporting the work of translators. She noted that their contributions are essential to enriching global culture and enhancing human connectivity across borders.

 Similarly, Evgeny Terekhin, Russian Ambassador to Ethiopia, pointed out that high-quality translation work is foundational to successful diplomacy, as it nurtures trust, respect, and mutual understanding among diverse nations and cultures.

Rodrigo Guzmán Barros, Chilean Ambassador to the ECA, the African Union, and Ethiopia, expanded on the cultural dimension of translation.

 He emphasized that both translation and artistic expression play a vital role in building bridges between peoples and reinforcing people-to-people connections across regions and continents.

 In conclusion, speakers at the event collectively affirmed that translation is not merely a technical or linguistic process, it is a vital cultural practice.

Investing in translation, particularly into and from local languages, ensures that communities remain connected to their heritage while also contributing meaningfully to global discourse.