Juvenes Translatores 2024

The aim is to inspire and encourage young people to learn languages. Every November on contest day over 3,000 teenagers translate a page of creative writing on a topical subject from any one of the EU's 24 official languages into any of the other 23.

The number of schools invited to enter the contest in each country is the same as the number of seats it has in the European Parliament – 720 in total across the EU. Up to five students per school can take part. Their efforts are evaluated by professional translators in the EU institutions to find the best translation from each country. The 27 winning students — one per EU member state — are invited to an award ceremony in Brussels, accompanied by teachers and parents.

2024 contest

Registration will be open between 2 September 2024, 12 PM (Central European Time), and 14 October 2024, 12 PM (Central European Time). 

Promote language learning and translation

If Europeans are to be 'united in diversity', as the EU’s own motto puts it, we need to be able to understand languages other than our own. If you have a thirst for foreign languages, our annual Juvenes Translatores translation contest, which started in 2007, is here to help.

In the long run, learning languages will bring us closer and help us understand each other’s cultures. And it will make it easier for you — tomorrow’s adults — to study and work around Europe.

Studies show the ever-growing need for translation and translators in Europe. It’s useful for language students to be prepared for this! Juvenes Translatores raises awareness of the importance of translation skills and the need to reassess translation — as a means of ‘mediating’ between languages — in the context of language learning.

Help teachers and students

Some schools hold their own pre-selection tests, both to ensure that they put their best students forward for the contest and to involve more than the 5 students who are selected to participate officially. Initiatives like this can become a celebration of translation and languages in a school, involving teachers and students from different classes.

Promote joint activities with schools abroad

Juvenes Translatores has also proven to be a springboard for other ventures involving languages and culture. Some participating schools, for instance, have started organising educational exchanges.