Citizens’ Language Days

Last December I had the chance to participate in the event “Citizens’ Language Days”, organized by the European Parliament. For its 3^rd edition, they invited a total of 24 EMT students, one per official EU language. I joined as a participant from the EMT programme of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki “JPSP Conference Interpreting and Translation”. 

The event featured a series of workshops on clear language in all 24 official EU languages and panel discussions with external experts. In these panels, we learnt how clear language can strengthen democracy by safeguarding citizens’ right to understand, regardless of language, literacy level or disability.

On the first day, we were introduced to the European Commission and the Directorate-General for Translation. During the rest of the day, we attended panel discussions and workshops held in the main working languages of the EU, delving into clear language. Personally, I followed the discussions in English and French, along with their corresponding workshops. We discussed the benefits of using clear language in writing administrative and law related documents, the future of clear language within EU’s linguistic landscape, as well as strategies to adapt into clear communication with each target audience. The workshops provided adequate examples of everything discussed, helping us practice clear language. We also had the opportunity to meet with interns at DG Translation and learn about the internships offered.

The second day started with a visit to each language unit of DG Translation. I met with Greek translators, who showed me around and told me about the responsibilities of the Greek unit. Meeting them offered valuable insight into the everyday life of a DG Translation employee. Workshops in every participant’s native language followed, as well as a short visit to Europarl, a small interactive museum.

These two days offered an unforgettable experience. I had the opportunity to meet like-minded people, with whom I shared the same passion for translation, and the EC’s friendly employees. Finally, all discussions held on clear language were beneficial to me, as a translator, and the EU as a whole in establishing a sincere and transparent relationship with its citizens.