Instituto Cervantes to hold panel discussion on literary translation

Instituto Cervantes de Manila, together with the Embassy of Spain and AECID, invites the public to a special panel discussion titled “Traducciones de ida y vuelta” (Round Trip Translations) on Thursday, July 30, at 5:00 PM at the Instituto Cervantes office in Intramuros.

The event brings together speakers Dr. Marlon James Sales, Marga Ortigas, and Dr. Alice Sun-Cua, a distinguished panel of translators, scholars, and writers to reflect on the current landscape of literary translation between the Philippines and Spanish speaking nations. They will analyze both the practical challenges and new opportunities within this field, shedding light on the craft of bridging two distinct literary traditions.

Throughout the session, the panelists will highlight translation projects that deepen the cultural dialogue between the two regions. They will also discuss the firsthand experiences of Filipino authors whose works have been translated into Spanish, examining how these literary cross currents help expand the reach of Philippine literature across the Hispanic world.

Dr. Marlon James Sales is an associate professor at UP Diliman whose published translations include Gonzalo Torrente Ballester's Ang Kuwento ng Haring Tulala, Gabriel Miró's The Leprous Bishop and Our Father San Daniel, and the co-translation of short stories featured in Mga Papel ni Benengeli. Beyond literary translation, his research examines missionary linguistics, translation history, and early Philippine grammar texts. Joining him on the panel is Marga Ortigas, a former senior Al Jazeera English correspondent and author of the acclaimed Philippine novel The House on Calle Sombra, which has been translated into Spanish as La Casa en Calle Sombra. Finally, Dr. Alice Sun-Cua is a physician, poet, and translator whose works include travel narratives like Autumn in Madrid, translations of Carmen Laforet's novel Nada, and Tagalog translations of Gil de Biedma's Spanish poetry. Together, they will share their insights into literary translation and cross-cultural dialogue.

The discussion will be conducted in English. The event will take place at Instituto Cervantes de Manila, located in 385 Calle Real, Plaza San Luis Complex, Intramuros. Admission is free and open to the public. Interested attendees may register in advance via this link: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/Q0nugDBAd8. For further details, please visit the official website at manila.cervantes.es or follow Instituto Cervantes on their social media pages (Facebook: www.facebook.com/InstitutoCervantesManila; Instagram: institutocervantesmanila).

This event is a project of Instituto Cervantes de Manila, the Embassy of Spain, and AECID, with the collaboration of Intramuros Administration.