WCC NEWS: “Quoting the Bible, dreaming, and always learning something new…” On International Native Language Day, translators reflect on their roles

WCC operates in four working languages, but who is behind them? Translators, who love thoughtfully choosing words, bringing concepts to life in other languages, and opening windows to the world. Translators at the WCC 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, 2022. Photo: Ivars Kupcis/WCC 20 February 2026 The following feature was compiled in commemoration of International Native Language Day, celebrated annually on 21 February to promote linguistic and cultural diversity. As Andrea Hellfritz, a German translator who has been working for the World Council of Churches (WCC) for many years, said: “I love to find the right word for what somebody else wrote in a different language.” Hellfritz’s interest in languages first sparked in high school when she lived in the US for a year. “I found it very fascinating that, within 10 months, I was able to speak in a language I didn’t know that well,” she recalled. “I even dreamed in English at that time!” But what if a young person today is dreaming of a career in translation? “I think currently I would not recommend this profession because it’s so unsure of where things are going with the whole AI issue,” said Hellfritz, who remains torn, but hopeful because she also believes the popularity of AI translation will roll back again. “It’s a great profession—I love it and I’m sure a lot of people would love it.” For Hellfritz, part of that love comes from the sheer pleasure of working with language. “I love that it’s my job. I spend a lot of time researching—it can be up to half the time I work with a text if it is a complex or sensitive text or subject. I read so many things about so many topics I never thought I’d think about.” On the level of deep human-to-human interaction, Hellfritz believes that language is the primary way people communicate. “And the one thing we need to do in our world today—and always—is communicate,” she said. “It’s just nice to know that I’m a person who can mediate and facilitate communication between people who don’t speak the same language.” French translator Florence Lesur, who considers herself a theological translator, enjoys translating documents that quote the Bible. “Working for the WCC puts together my work and my faith,” she said. “The most challenging part is conveying accurately what the source text is saying while making sure it reads naturally.” And AI doesn’t necessarily address these challenges—though it can be a helpful tool, said Lesur and other translators. “AI can help with some aspects, but it won’t solve all your translation challenges,” said Lesur. “Sometimes you need a professional translator—someone who knows the topic, the culture, and all the nuances of language, and who will avoid mistakes and faux pas.” Lesur adopts a stance of neutrality even when she disagrees with the content she’s translating. “I should not consider if I agree or disagree with it. There’s always something to learn from it,” she said, acknowledging her deep affection for her work for the World Council of Churches. “I’m really grateful that I can work for the WCC—the ecumenical movement is dear to my heart, and translating is a way to contribute to its purpose at my level,” she said. Would she recommend translation as a career to a young person? "I would say go for it if you really like your mother language, because in translation you need to understand well the source language, but you also need to perfectly speak your target language—which most of the time is your mother language,” she said. “It’s about communication more than languages.” María Baile Rubio, who serves as a translator and an interpreter, feels that her profession keeps her informed about lots of different topics. She is “privileged to connect with so many realities, bridging them through her work, which requires intense focus. To me it’s like meditation,” she said. “It clears my mind—but it’s also physically and mentally taxing.”    She remembers growing up in Madrid, looking out her window as a child, thinking: “I want to know the world.”  She also studied dictionaries. “My parents told me that I used to make up words and stories when I was a little,” she said. As she translates or interprets, Baile Rubio reads the atmosphere. “When I interpret for people, I leave my own perspective behind; I’m working with sensitivity It’s about stepping into someone else’s experience for that moment and giving voice to it,” she said. “I’m not there as my own person to judge; I'm there to convey meaning.” Asked how she would describe the current landscape to a young person considering a career in translation, Baile Rubio noted that she often receives such questions from people curious about her work. “I think our profession is not just about language—it’s also about international relations.” Careers are evolving in such a way that translators may need to combine their skills with other realities in the world, she added. “I would also tell them not to be afraid of AI—it’s a useful support tool,” she said. “The problem now is that many companies or people are conveying the idea of the ‘human in the loop’—as if humans are secondary to the process. But some of my colleagues and I talk about the ‘human in control.’ We are still at the center.” See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa.  Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland