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I (1973-83)
Foundation, investigations, reprints
27.3.73 The Institute for Bible Translation was
founded in Stockholm
(Sweden).
1973-75 IBT reprinted publications of
pre-revolutionary translations from the Bible in Abkhaz, Altai, Armenian,
Bashkir, Buryat, Gagauz, Georgian, Kazakh, Komi-Zyrian, Komi-Permyak,
Mari-Low, Mordvin-Moksha, Ossetic, Tatar, Udmurt, Chuvash, Mordvin-Erzya
and Yakut. These books were reprinted for the first time after a break
of 60-80 years.
1975-90 IBT worked abroad and in the USSR on modern
translations from the Bible into more than 40 languages. Translations
were published in 21 languages.
II (1983-90)
New translations abroad
1983 First edition of the Children’s Bible in Russian.
1983 The IBT office in Helsinki opened.
1983-90 Ten editions of the Children’s Bible in
five million copies (for free distribution).
1987-90 Reprinted the Explanatory Bible edited by
A.P. Lopukhin (150,000 sets of 3 volumes) - a gift from the Nordic
countries for the celebration of the millennium of Christianity in Russia in 1988.
1989 The WordPress organization
opened in Los Angeles (registered as an IBT office in 2000).
III (1990-2003) Work in Russia
14.06.90 Five-year agreement on mutual cooperation
with the Department for Literature and Language of the Russian Academy
of Sciences was signed, which was renewed in 1996 and 2001.
1990 Translation work moved to Russia. By this
time the New Testament had been translated and published in eleven
languages and the Bible in three.
1992 Registration of the IBT branch office in Moscow.
30.01.95 Registration of IBT as an independent
Russian organisation. IBT works throughout the territory of the former
USSR.
1996 Publishing operations moved to Russia.
1997 IBT office moves into the former Andreyevskiy
Monastery in Moscow.
2000
IBT
acquired the status of scientific
research institution and since 23 May 2000 has been working
under the scientific and methodological
guidance of the Department for Literature and
Language of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
2000 The IBT office in Great Britain opened.
10.04.02 The scientific research organisation of
IBT was accredited by the Ministry of Industry, Science and Technology of
the Russian Federation.
IV
(May 2002-present time) IBT Russia/CIS -
Operational Centre
May 2002
It
was decided at the IBT Annual Meeting that the operational centre
of IBT would be transferred from Stockholm to Moscow at the end of 2002.
15.01.03 Owing to the
reorganization in IBT, Institute for Bible Translation in
Moscow was reregistered as an autonomous non-commercial organization.
11.03.03 IBT
becomes a member of the Scientific Council of the Russian Academy of
Sciences for the Study and Protection of the Cultural and Environmental
Inheritance.
01.12.2004
IBT Russia/CIS ceases financial cooperation with IBT NA. Since 2005 IBT, Russia/CIS
has been cooperating in fundraising with the
foundation
registered in the United States called
“Friends of IBT Russia/CIS”.
2005 IBT Russia/CIS
and IBT UK signed a
Cooperation Agreement
on the basis of which the IBT International Advisory Board (IAB)
was formed.
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Purpose statement
IBT's main aim is to
translate, publish and distribute the Bible in the languages of the
non-Slavic peoples living in Russia and the other countries of the
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). These 85 million non-Slavic
peoples represent a tremendous diversity of language (at least 130
different languages) and religion (Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and
Shamanism). Some of these peoples
number many millions; other languages have only a few thousand
speakers. Some of the languages have a long written tradition; in
others a written form is only now being created.
IBT’s
main operational centre
IBT’s main
operational centre is situated in Moscow. The IBT office is located
in St. Andrew's Monastery (also the location of the reading room of
the Russian Orthodox Church’s Synodal Library), on the banks of the
Moscow River next to the new building of the Russian Academy of
Sciences Presidium. IBT is a non-profit scientific organization
with staff from different Christian traditions and denominations.
Bible
translation projects
IBT strives to make accurate and faithful translations which reveal
the message of the Bible to modern readers in their own languages.
IBT’s office in Moscow coordinates the work of 65 translation teams.
Translation team members live in different cities and countries, but
at certain stages of their work it is necessary for them to meet and
work together. In addition to coordinating and administering the work
of Bible translation, the office also holds seminars for translators
and exegetical checkers. There are usually three such seminars each
year. In addition to its Bible publications, IBT also produces
Scripture books for children, Bible reference works and scientific
materials related to the receptor languages.
Text preparation, technical support and publishing
IBT publishes quality editions appropriate for a book’s content and
readers’ expectations. The Moscow office prepares translated Bible
texts for publishing. The staff is involved in typesetting,
illustrations, maps and cover design. In addition, technical
assistance, such as computer hardware and software support, font
problems, etc., is provided by Moscow office staff to translators in
the field. IBT maintains contacts with printing houses in Russia and
abroad.
Networking
IBT is a member of the International Forum of Bible Agencies (IFOBA).
In some translation projects IBT works in partnership with other
international Bible translation agencies, such as the United Bible
Societies (UBS), the Summer Institute of
Linguistics (SIL) and the Pioneer Bible Translators (PBT). In the
countries of its activity IBT cooperates with churches and religious
organizations of all Christian denominations, national Bible
Societies, scientific institutions and with the state
authorities.
Distribution, information and public relations
IBT
coordinates the transportation, warehousing and distribution,
organizes presentations
of its
publications,
issues an information bulletin "News of Bible Translation" in Russian.
Funding
IBT Russia/CIS is a non-profit organization
financed through contributions from individuals, sponsoring
organizations, foundations and to some
extent by publishing activities. |
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Borislav Arapovic
Founder
of the Institute for Bible Translation, renowned specialist in Slavic
languages, poet, member of the Swedish Slavists’ Association, the
Swedish Writers’ Union and the Croatian Writers’ Union of
Bosnia-Herzegovina, PHD, Doctor (honoris causa) and Foreign Member
of the Russian Academy of Sciences. For the creation of the Children’s
Bible Dr. Borislav Arapovic was awarded the Leo Tolstoy medal by the
Russian Children’s Fund.
Marianne Beerle-Moor
Director of the Institute for Bible Translation Russia/CIS since
1997, specialist in the field of linguistics and ethno-linguistics
(Caucasian studies and Lezgi grammar), PHD, Doctor (honoris causa)
of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and consultant for translation
projects.
In February 2002 Dr. Marianne Beerle-Moor was awarded the Order,
Third Class, “For Serving the Native Land” of St. Dmitriy Donskoy
and St. Sergius of Radonezh for the work of enlightenment and merits
in the spiritual and moral formation of Russian society. In May 2005
on the Decree of the Yakut President Dr. Beerle-Moor was awarded the
“Civil Valour” Order for the revival of spirituality and the
translation of the New Testament into the Yakut language.
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