Translation, empathy, solidarity. A conversation about the role of translation and the translator in difficult times

Does the special historical experience that Ukraine is now forced to acquire reinforce the untranslatability of our meanings, ideas, and messages? What challenges does a translator face when trying to convey Ukrainian everyday life and intellectual life during the Great War to his or her audience? Is a translator today more than a translator, and if so, what exactly does this “more” mean? Is there anything that is absolutely untranslatable? What contexts should we rely on to make our wartime existence more intelligible to those who do not have such experience? What old and new stereotypes about Ukraine get in the way?

We will talk about this and more with translators who are among the brightest ambassadors of Ukrainian literature in the world.