The Ministry of Education celebrates today on Thursday the International Translation Day that falls on September 30 of each year, in appreciation of the dissemination of science and knowledge and emphasizing the role of translation in building comprehensive knowledge societies.
The Ministry of Education supports the teaching of foreign languages in its curricula in general and university education to build bridges of communication with the peoples of the world. It has included teaching English to primary school students starting from the first grade, as well as allowing students to choose to study in foreign languages, including Chinese, expanding external scholarship programs and studying the scholarship country's language and learning about their civilizations and cultures.
The Ministry of Education calls on universities to activate translation, by participating in the global movement for scientific research and publishing in foreign languages. Universities in Saudi Arabia also include translation departments in their faculties, institutes, and centers.
They usually participate in events, activities, conferences, and scientific seminars related to translation. They also take part efficiently in local and international competitions held by universities for translation, such as the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Prize for Translation, which is one of the largest international awards granted annually for distinguished works in translation from and into Arabic, as well as the Prince Sultan University Regional Translation Competition, which is held annually.
The Ministry of Education encourages research centers to translate all new studies and scientific research from all languages to support the Kingdom’s knowledge and scientific balance to serve its orientations towards investing in the knowledge economy and openness to the world, in addition to developing educational plans and curricula and supporting them in foreign languages, and ensuring cultural diversity.