Warwickshire News Mine

The county council’s Interpreting and Translation Service (ITS) team, who organised the event at Warwick’s Shire Hall, said “bienvenue”, “witamy” and “bem-vindo” to colleagues and partners, who had the opportunity to find out about different cultures and taste food from countries around Europe and beyond, as well as discuss the many language services that the team offers.

The multi-lingual event was also attended by representatives from Warwickshire Police, Warwick Hospital, Warwickshire Fire & Rescue Service, Warwickshire Race Equality, the Partnership Trusts and Warwickshire Probation Service and Warwickshire CAVA.

A rise in ethnic minority settlement in recent decades has lead to a growing need for interpretation and translation services in the county.

Post-war New Commonwealth migration, and particularly more recent immigration related to work and asylum, has increased the number of ethnic minority residents in the county, making it a multicultural population speaking at least 50 different languages.

Warwickshire County Council’s Interpretation and Translation team are an important link in maintaining open lines of communication between the county council and those Warwickshire residents who do not speak English as their first language, as well as those who have a sensory disability.

The team can provide services to translate and interpret in over 140 different languages and dialects from around the world, including British Sign Language. They handle around 200 requests for help each month, varying from the translation of written documents to requests for interpreters at meetings. The team is part of Warwickshire County Council’s Equalities and Diversity Service.

The aim of Friday’s event was to enable the county’s interpreters, translators and services to come together, share their experiences and learn from one another, as well as celebrate the diverse cultures that now exist in Warwickshire.

European Day of Languages, a Council of Europe initiative, is held annually on 26th September to celebrate language and cultural diversity. The day was first celebrated in 2001 and is now recognised by 45 different countries.

The aim of the day is to increase awareness and appreciation of all languages and encourage lifelong language learning.

Link to WCC