A faculty seminar titled “Disaster Interpreting: Expert Interpreting or Volunteer Duty?” was organized by Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. Speaking at the seminar, Prof. Dr. Ali Turgay Kurultay, a faculty member of the Department of English Translation and Interpreting, highlighted that interpreting plays a critical role in disaster areas. Kurultay stated that proper training and coordination are essential for volunteerism, and also underlined the need for comprehensive and sustainable training programs. Kurultay also expressed the necessity of being mentally prepared, as interpreters volunteering in disaster zones may be exposed to traumatic events.
Prof. Dr. Ali Turgay Kurultay, a faculty member of the Department of English Translation and Interpreting at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, participated as a speaker in the organized seminar.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Feride Zeynep Güder, a faculty member of the Department of English Translation and Interpreting at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, moderated the seminar.
Interpreting Plays a Critical Role
In the seminar, Prof. Dr. Kurultay emphasized that interpreters working in disaster areas not only need to possess language skills but also must be psychologically and technically equipped. He stated that interpreters play a critical role in many different situations, from search and rescue operations to coordination in rubble areas, communication with foreign rescue teams, and traumatic experiences such as encountering bodies.
Proper Training and Coordination are Essential for Volunteerism!
Kurultay pointed out that the mentality of “I know the language, I’ll help” can be risky in disaster environments, stating that disaster interpreting requires expertise, knowledge of regulations, mastery of disaster terminology, and psychological resilience. He said that while volunteerism is valuable, proper training and coordination are essential for effective intervention.
Comprehensive and Sustainable Training Programs are Needed
Participants were informed that professional training should not be limited to theoretical courses but must be supported by practical training repeated at frequent intervals. Kurultay stated that one-day or short-term training sessions cannot meet the needs in the field, emphasizing the necessity for comprehensive and sustainable training programs to cope with technical terminology, organizational structures, and risk factors in the field.
Kurultay stated that after the 1999 Marmara Earthquake, some non-governmental organizations started providing translation support, but the legal infrastructure and institutional functioning were not yet sufficiently established. Despite the existence of institutions like Disaster Management Plans and AFAD, he noted that standard procedures need to be developed for interpreters to be effectively guided in the field.
They May Be Exposed to Traumatic Events
Kurultay stated that in disaster environments, translation is needed not only in search and rescue but also in different areas such as humanitarian aid, psychological support, and security. He emphasized that interpreters volunteering in disaster zones may be exposed to traumatic events, and therefore, it is important for them to be mentally prepared and receive psychological support.
Regular Drills Can Make Significant Contributions to the Process
Finally, Kurultay highlighted the importance of establishing long-term and institutional training programs in the field of disaster interpreting. He emphasized the necessity of a system where the authority, identity, and responsibilities of interpreters will be clearly defined with the clarification of relevant legal regulations and institutional structures. He stated that within the scope of pre-disaster preparedness, the creation of terminology banks, preparation of disaster-specific translation guides, and regular drills would make significant contributions to the process.
Q&A Session Held
The seminar concluded after the question-and-answer session. The event provided a valuable contribution in raising awareness about bringing translation services in disasters to professional standards and balancing volunteerism with expertise.