Aware of the fundamental role of translators in the dissemination of literature and the unparalleled contribution of translation in bringing different peoples and cultures closer together, breaking down ideological walls, creating cultural bridges and fostering dialogue, the Bottari Lattes Foundation has announced the biennial Mario Lattes Award for Translation, in collaboration with the Castello di Perno Association, dedicated the a publisher, painter and writer who knew how to deal with internationally renowned intellectuals.
With this initiative, the Bottari Lattes Foundation intends to promote knowledge of cultures and authors less known to the Italian public and encourage the translation into Italian of their most significant literary works in terms of literary quality and depth of content, reflections and testimony. All this in full awareness that the translation does not result in a simple transposition of words from one language to another and in moving a linguistic sign from one code to another, but it is a discipline that knows how to transfer thoughts and conceptions of the world from a culture to the other and that requires a total interpenetration of the translator in that culture.
The first 2020 edition of the Mario Lattes Biennial Translation Award is dedicated to contemporary literature in Arabic. It is open to contemporary fiction works translated and published in Italy between 2017 and 2019, which must be sent to the Bottari Lattes Foundation by 10 January 2020. The announcement can be downloaded from the website www.fondazionebottarilattes.it
The stable Jury of the Award will identify five finalist works selected taking into account the translator’s ability to render the literary quality of the text into Italian.
The five finalist translators will be announced, by press, by the end of May. The name of the winning translator will be announced during the award ceremony.
The award ceremony will take place on Saturday 20th June 2020 at the Castello di Perno (Cn).
Maintaining the constant attention that the Bottari Lattes Foundation gives to young people, the Translation Award will involve students and recent graduates in the Arabic language of Italian universities, putting them in contact with professionals in the sector and having them meet with winners and finalists in an appointment dedicated to them .
The winner will receive a prize of 3,000 euros. The four finalists are awarded a prize of 500 euros.
