OCDE Language Services Coordinator Natalia Abarca welcomes attendees to the department’s 2025 International Translation Day celebration at the OCDE Conference Center. 
Language professionals gather for OCDE’s International Translation Day celebration in September 2025 at the OCDE Conference Center in Costa Mesa. 
Flags representing languages and cultures from around the world are displayed during OCDE’s 2025 International Translation Day celebration at the department’s Conference Center in Costa Mesa. 
Attendees listen to a presentation during OCDE’s 2025 International Translation Day celebration, which brought together bilingual staff, interpreters, translators and other language professionals. 
OCDE Language Services Coordinator Natalia Abarca, right, introduces keynote speaker Dr. Janet Núñez-Pineda during the 2025 International Translation Day celebration at the OCDE Conference Center.
Quick look: OCDE’s Language Services team will celebrate International Translation Day on Sept. 30 with a free event at PBS SoCal Studios featuring a studio tour, a presentation on the Family Math Initiative and a special appearance by Carl the Collector.
Bilingual educators and language professionals will have an opportunity to connect, learn and get a behind-the-scenes look at PBS SoCal Studios as part of the Orange County Department of Education’s annual celebration of International Translation Day.
Organized by OCDE’s Language Services team, the free event will take place from 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Sept. 30, at PBS SoCal Studios, 3080 Bristol St., Suite 100, in Costa Mesa. Space is limited.
Participants will tour the studio and learn about PBS SoCal’s Family Math Initiative, along with a special appearance by Carl the Collector, the title character of the PBS KIDS series. Breakfast will be provided through sponsorship from MGM Linguistic Solutions.
The celebration recognizes bilingual educators and staff whose linguistic expertise helps students and families fully engage with their school communities.
International Translation Day is observed annually on Sept. 30 to recognize the work of translators and other language professionals. The United Nations formally established the international observance in 2017.
This year’s celebration follows another milestone for OCDE’s Language Services team: the 10th annual Interpreters and Translators Conference, which will take place Sept. 24 through Sept. 26 at OCDE’s Costa Mesa campus. The three-day conference will bring together language access professionals for professional learning, networking and discussions on emerging technologies, ethics and best practices.
“Our 10th anniversary theme, ‘Rooted in Growth,’ reflects how language access in education has evolved from providing essential services to advancing equity, inclusion and student success,” said Natalia Abarca, OCDE’s Language Services coordinator. “Over the past decade, we have strengthened our practices, embraced innovation and built greater recognition of the vital role language professionals play in ensuring every family can fully participate in education.”
The conference will feature in-person, virtual and hybrid attendance options, along with keynote presentations, workshops and sessions on interpretation, translation, cultural competence and artificial intelligence.
Registration for the International Translation Day celebration is free, but space is limited. For additional information, contact OCDE’s Language Services team.