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The Book Arsenal will start very soon. It is a big event for people who enjoy books, language, culture and meaningful conversations. It will take place in Kyiv.  This year’s main topic is called “Everything Between Us Is Translation.” It sounds simple, but it means a lot.

Translation is not only about different languages. It is about how we try to share our thoughts, feelings and ideas with other people. Every day we explain things. Even when we speak our own language, we still translate. We turn our thoughts into words so others can understand us. We choose words, we think about how to say things clearly and kindly.

In science, there is an idea that everything between people is a kind of text. This idea comes from a field called semiotics. It studies signs and meaning. It says that not only words, but also gestures, voice, clothes, and even space around us can be read like a text. Even silence can mean something. We are always sending messages, even when we don’t say anything.

There is also something called cultural translation. This happens when we try to understand people from different places, cultures or traditions. We read books from other countries, watch films with subtitles and learn about different holidays. We do not try to change other people. We try to understand them. This requires patience, respect and interest.

Translation also has an important moral side. A translator must keep the meaning and the feeling of the original text. They do not just change words. They help one person’s message reach someone else. They connect different people through their work.

This year’s topic at the Book Arsenal is not only for professional translators. It is about all of us. Every time we speak, we try to be clear and to understand others. We try to hear another person and see their world. Translation is what helps us do that.