EUROPEAN COMMISSION
PRESS RELEASE
Brussels, 28 January 2013
Bravo to EU's young translators
The names of the 27 winners of the European Commission’s annual EU Young Translator
Juvenes Translatores contest for secondary school pupils are published today (28 January,
list of winning pupils/schools below). More than 3 000 pupils from 750 schools sat the
contest in November 2012. The winners – one per EU country – will be invited to an award
ceremony in Brussels on 11 April to receive their prizes from Commissioner Androulla
Vassiliou and will also have the chance to see the Commission's translators at work.
“The contest is an excellent way to promote language learning and translation as a
possible career. Language skills are a fantastic asset: they broaden the mind and can
boost employability, something which is especially important in the current economic
environment," said Androulla Vassiliou, Commissioner for Education, Culture,
Multilingualism and Youth.
The contestants translated a one-page text based on their choice of any of the 506
language combinations possible among the EU’s 23 official languages. All 23 were indeed
used as source languages. The winners also exhibited a fair share of linguistic diversity, 11 translated from English, 5 from French, 5 from Spanish, 4 from German, 1 from
Estonian and 1 from Irish. The texts were marked by the Commission's translators.
The contest, which was first organised in 2007, continues to grow in popularity. Nearly 1
750 schools registered to take part in the 2012-2013 competition – this was reduced to
750 for logistical reasons following a random computer selection. The contest has created
its own network, enabling students, teachers and professionals to interact through
Facebook, Twitter and a blog.
It also gives schools an opportunity to learn from each other and try out different methods
of language teaching. The Salzmannschule Schnepfenthal school in Thuringia, Germany, is
clearly one to watch: its students have won the title three times. Perhaps the name of its
head languages teacher – Susanne Bravo – is a clue to its success.
The translation texts focused on solidarity between generations, the theme of the 2012
European Year, and ranged from stories of the young teaching the old how to use
computers to history lessons given by elders to children. The texts were prepared by
Commission's translators to ensure the same level of linguistic challenge in all the
languages.
Croatian pupils will be able to take part in the 2013-2014 contest for the first time after
their country joins the EU and Croat becomes its 24th official language.
IP/13/55
Background
The ‘Juvenes Translatores’ (Latin for ‘young translators’) contest is organised every year
by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Translation. Its aim is to promote
language learning in schools and give young people a taste of what it is like to be a
translator. It is open to 17-year old secondary school pupils (in the case of the 2012-2013
contest for those born in 1995) and takes place at the same time in all selected schools all
over Europe. The contest has encouraged some entrants to take up language studies and
to become translators.
Contacts :
Dennis Abbott (+32 2 295 92 58); Twitter: @DennisAbbott
Dina Avraam (+32 2 295 96 67)
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The winners (plus their chosen language combination for the test)
and their schools are as follows
COUNTRY
Austria
WINNER
Sophie Maurer (ES-DE)
Belgium
Bulgaria
Juliette Louvegny (DE-FR)
Пламена Малева (DE-BG)
Cyprus
Czech
Republic
Denmark
Μαρία Μυριανθοπούλο (EN-EL)
Daniela Ottová (EN-CS)
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Maria Priego Christiansen (ESDA)
Eeva Aleksejev (FR-ET)
Annika Metso (FR-FI)
Lou Barra-Thibaudeau (ES-FR)
Valentin Donath (ET-DE)
Hungary
Μαρία Φανή Δεδεμπίλη (ESEL)
Rebeka Tóth (EN-HU)
Ireland
Italy
Maeve Walsh (GA-EN)
Francesca Magri (DE-IT)
Latvia
Lithuania
Elvis Ruža (EN-LV)
Giedrė Pupšytė (EN-LT)
Luxembourg
Malta
Sophie Schmiz (FR-DE)
Janice Valentina Bonnici (ENMT)
Anne-Mieke Thieme (EN-NL)
Urszula Iskrzycka (EN-PL)
Netherlands
Poland
SCHOOL
Sir-Karl-Popper-Schule/Wiedner
Gymnasium, Wien
Collège du Christ-Roi, Ottignies
Езикова гимназия „Проф. д-р Асен
Златаров“, Велико Търново,
Ενιαίο Λύκειο Κύκκου Α, Λευκωσία
Gymnázium a Střední odborná
škola, Jilemnice
Rybners stx, Esbjerg
Gustav Adolfi Gümnaasium, Tallinn
Puolalanmäen lukio, Turku
Lycée Victor Hugo, Poitiers
Salzmannschule Schnepfenthal,
Waltershausen
Γενικό Λύκειο Βέλου, Βέλο Κορινθίας
Erkel Ferenc Gimnázium és
Informatikai Szakképző Iskola,
Gyula
Loreto High School Beaufort, Dublin
Liceo Linguistico Europeo paritario
S.B Capitanio, Bergamo
Mērsraga vidusskola, Mērsrags
Žemaičių Naumiesčio gimnazija,
Šilutės rajonas
Athénée de Luxembourg
G.F. Abela Junior College
Marnix College, Ede
I Liceum Ogólnokształcące im.
K.Miarki, Mikołów, śląskie
Portugal
Catarina Pinho (ES-PT)
Escola Secundária de Rio Tinto, Rio
Tinto
Romania
Diana Alexandra Amariei (FRLiceul Teoretic Sfantu-Nicolae,
RO)
Gheorgheni, jud.Harghita
Slovakia
Lenka Mišíková (FR-SK)
Gymnázium bilingválne, Žilina
Slovenia
Gita Mihelčič (EN-SL)
Gimnazija in srednja šola Kočevje,
Kočevje
Spain
Jaime Bas Domínguez (EN-ES)
IES El Burgo de Las Rozas, Las
Rozas, Madrid
Sweden
Agnes Forsberg (EN-SV)
Johannes Hedberggymnasiet,
Helsingborg
City of London School, London
UK
Angus Russell (DE-EN)
The winning pupils are available for interview (details available from spokesperson).
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Map showing where the winners come from:
More information:
Contest website: ec.europa.eu/translatores
Facebook: facebook.com/translatores
Twitter: @translatores
JT blog for teachers: http://blogs.ec.europa.eu/translatores/
DG Translation: ec.europa.eu/dgs/translation
Androulla Vassiliou's website: ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/vassiliou
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