Through Differences to Unity

On 25 May, the School of Translation and Interpreting held its annual creative evening. The theme of the event drew on the well-known parable about the primal cause of the world’s linguistic diversity.

Prior to the concert programme, the Dean of the School, Irina Ryabtsevich, delivered a welcoming address. In her remarks, Ms Ryabtsevich thanked the students and faculty for the School’s continued growth and development, emphasising that it remains a place where different languages serve as bridges rather than barriers.

The official part of the evening featured the traditional awards ceremony for active students and winners of various competitions.

The award categories included:

- the essay competition “Ordinary Women – Extraordinary Contributions”;

- the Russian language Olympiad for international students;

- grammar and phonetics competitions;

- the English-language video competition “The Contribution of My Region to the Development of My Country”;

- the video competition “BSUFL: Building Our Brand Together”;

- the 7th Republican Written Translation Competition;

- the 7th Republican Interpretation Competition;

- the International Swedish Language Olympiad “Svenska steg för steg” (Level B2).

Certificates of appreciation were also presented to the School’s departments in recognition of their diligent work, professionalism, and significant contribution to the School’s collective achievements.

Following the award ceremony, the audience was treated to a concert programme prepared by the School’s talented students. Its narrative was built around the legend of the Tower of Babel.

According to the legend, the protagonists initially worked together on a common endeavour, but then, becoming mired in disputes over the purity and correctness of language, they lost mutual understanding. The great Tower crumbled, and the people began to speak different tongues, unable to reach agreement. Thus, the Translator appeared on stage – a person who, guided by the heart, embarked on an extraordinary journey across countries and continents.

Together with the protagonist, the audience immersed themselves in the atmosphere of the creative evening: they heard the mysterious cadences of Farsi, witnessed the fiery rhythms of a Spanish dance, felt the aesthetic grace of French verse, discovered the passion of Turkish melodies, and experienced the freedom of the English language. A particularly moving response came for the sign-language performance – yet another reminder that genuine understanding is possible even without words.

Согласно легенде, герои сперва трудились над общим делом, но затем, погрязнув в спорах о чистоте и правильности языка, утратили взаимопонимание. Великая Башня рушилась, а люди начинали говорить на разных языках, не в силах договориться. Так на сцене появился переводчик – человек, который, ведомый сердцем, отправился в удивительное путешествие по странам и континентам.

Вместе с героем зрители погрузились в атмосферу творческого вечера: услышали загадочную речь фарси, увидели зажигательный испанский танец, прочувствовали эстетику французского стиха, открыли для себя страсть турецких мотивов и свободу английского языка. Особый отклик у зала вызвал номер на жестовом языке – еще одно напоминание о том, что искреннее понимание возможно даже без слов.

With every new language and culture, the protagonist – the Translator – gained another “building block” for the construction of a New Tower: a Tower of Mutual Understanding and Unity. And although this story unfolded on stage, it speaks to everyone who, day in and day out, learns to understand others and to be understood within the walls of their home School of Translation and Interpreting.

The Faculty extends its gratitude to all audience members for their support and warm reception, and to the participants for their energy, talent, and devotion to their craft.