In addition to this, the Department supervises the translators' group consisting of students with a particular interest and talent for literary translation. Their efforts have provided Georgian readers with a chance to get acquainted with the works of several British and American authors who had not been translated into Georgian before. Dylan Thomas, a Welsh poet and outstanding representative of British literature, is one of these authors. The translations, alongside with quotations from famous philosophers, were published in BILINGUA, a literary almanac.

One more extraordinary event added a touch of glamour to the fabulous work done by the well-known English speaking club existing at the English studies Department at Kutaisi State University – the revival of the Translation Section, one of the oldest and traditional branches having functioned in the English speaking club years ago.

This very interesting and stimulating idea came form the English Studies Department suggesting the students who wanted to try his/her hand at translation to join the section. The newly established team consisted of talented students and they immediately set to work in an active way. Taking into consideration very strong friendly links with Newport, Welsh, poetry was chosen as the first subject. If you ask why poetry-we’ll answer that poetry reflects the soul of the nation. Consequently some beautiful Welsh poems were translated into Georgian bringing vividly to the readers the wonders of the Welsh culture.

This is what Giorgi Tsurtsumia writes about the Translators section of the ESC.

We tried anxiously to do our best to make tunes of wonderful Welsh verses sound so sweet and enchanting in our own Georgian language, that they would take the audience through.

Among the authors we translated are the famous poets Myfaniy  Haycock, Glyn Jones, D. Gwenallt Jones, Margaid Evans and Dylan Thomas. We are tremendovusly happy to know the readers’ appreciation of our work.

This very pleasant and difficult process of translation was permanently supported by the English Studies Department. The whole staff helped us to compile and issue a booklet of  the translated poems titled “Bilingual”. Included was an epigram of Emily Dickinson’s very significant words: “If I read a book and it takes my whole body so cold no fire can ever warm me, I know that is poetry. If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry”. The presentation of this little book was attended by the guests of honour, Univesity and city authorities and the representatives of mass media. The meeting was held in a romantic and warm atmosphere reminding us of the magnificent power of Poetry even n the 21st century. It was one of the loveliest days in my life.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude towards the English Studies Department and especially to the senior teacher Tsitsino Babukhadia and teacher Helen Berekashvili. All this students should be also thanked for their enthusiasm and strong will.

We hope we’ll keep on working and offering more pearls English, American and Welsh poetry to the Georgian readers.