Translation Professor joins delegation to Namibia for Phoenix Project visit

This June Loredana Polezzi, Professor of Translation Studies, visited Namibia as part of the Phoenix Project.

The Phoenix Project is one of Cardiff University’s flagship engagement projects and is an integral part of the University’s International and Engagement Programme as well as the Welsh Government’s Wales for Africa initiative.

The Phoenix Project is developing a sustainable collaboration between Cardiff and the University of Namibia (UNAM) with work between the two institutions currently ranging from health to social services.

Professor Polezzi, who was part of a group from the University visiting Namibia, met with colleagues at UNAM and partner institutions involved in the delivery of education and training in areas including languages, health, continuing professional development, journalism and media.

Namibia is a multilingual country with a rich landscape of indigenous and post-colonial languages, ranging from Afrikaans, Portuguese and English to Oshiwambo, Otjiherero, or Silesi – and many more. From the moment of independence, Namibia has recognised the importance of this linguistic heritage and promoted it through education and research. Linguistic landscapes, language politics and policies, or the role of language diversity in education are shared research interests between UNAM and Cardiff, with opportunities for fruitful collaboration in all of these areas.

A further goal shared by the two universities is the improvement of professional training as well as a broader awareness of the role played by translation, in all its forms, in a multilingual society.

Professor Polezzi has written a short piece about her visit to Namibia which can be found on the Phoenix Project blog.