What do UN translators do?

My name is Jamie Bethune. I'm French, and I'm a translator at the UN. My working languages are French, English, and Chinese, and I've been working in the event for about four years as a translator at the UN.

I translate any document that the organization needs to have translated into French. This can be reports of the Secretary-General, or resolutions and decisions of the General Assembly or the Security Council, or diplomatic correspondence, budget documents, etc.

A good translator has, first of all, to have very good writing skills. They have to have excellent grammar and a good style. They also have to be very thorough and detail-oriented, and they have to be willing to always find ways to improve their skills as translators.

As a translator, I'm curious. I really enjoy the fact that my work at the UN allows me to do research on many different topics, and I've also been participating in other activities related to translation, such as terminology, which has been a very interesting opportunity for me.

If you find that you rarely think about the work that translators do, then it's probably a good sign. It means that we're doing our job well. However, it would really mean a lot to us if you could take a moment to think about all the ways in which translation is making your life more interesting, more fulfilling, and perhaps more peaceful.