The rise of AI: friend or foe?

There’s been so much written about in the news recently about the developments of AI and its potential impact on life as we know it. Have you been reading about it, too?

Whilst this sort of technology may feel threatening to our livelihoods and the careers we have worked so hard to achieve, AI is here to stay, so perhaps a better, long-term approach is to embrace it and work with it. There are, after all, so many positives to AI that can be used in the translating and interpreting fields.

​Fellow member of the Cambridge Network, Speechmatics, a leading speech recognition technology company, has recently launched pioneering real-time speech translation capabilities in 69 language pairs. This development is poised to be somewhat revolutionary in providing accessible communication for businesses and individuals worldwide, making it easier to break down language barriers and connect with people from different cultures and backgrounds.

Whilst such technology has existed for a while, what makes Speechmatic’s innovation very interesting is its real-time capabilities.

This might feel like a death knoll to the interpreting industry, but, at the moment, I think there is much to be excited about, rather than fearful of.

For interpreters, I truly believe that what will set you apart from the competition now is an ability to work with the technology and use it to work more efficiently.

Understanding the benefits of AI for the interpreting industry and how to use it to its maximum effect is more crucial now than ever before.

And there is nothing to truly fear, as whilst AI can certainly improve processes and speed up outputs, it cannot fully replace human interpreters, as interpreting involves more than language translation. Understanding the nuances of different cultures, interpreting non-verbal cues and adapting to unexpected situations are all aspects that AI is not capable of – yet.

Made in Italy comes to London – The bridge between Italian and UK Innovation Ecosystem

At the beginning of this month, you’ll find me interpreting for the Smau/Italy RestartsUp event, in London.

If you’ve read my LinkedIn posts or this newsletter before, you’ve probably seen me write about the Italian Trade Agency’s initiative, Made In Italy, which has promoted some brilliant innovations reminding the world of Italy’s continued and growing excellence in food, wine and design, amongst many other areas.

The opening networking cocktail event will take place at the Italian Embassy, on May 2nd (by invitation only). The event is dedicated to investors, corporates and relevant players belonging to the Londoner’s and UK startup ecosystem, interested in the delegation selected by Smau.

I’ll be interpreting, bridging the language barrier and helping to forge relationships between Italian entrepreneurs and the UK market. It is an exciting event which promises to showcase the best in Italian design and products, activating trade relations and building partnerships and investments.

There will be 46 Italian startups present, in Food & Retail, Smart Manufacturing, Energy & Environment, Smart Mobility and eHealth sectors. Innovation events often seem to generate a palpable buzz in the room, and I’m looking forward to being a part of this.

Keep an eye on my LinkedIn and Instagram pages for a report on Italy ReStartsUp – it should be a superb event!

European business travel beckons!

May is shaping up to be another exciting and fast-paced month for me, with a range of interpreting assignments on the horizon. I’ve got my passport and tickets ready to whisk me away to exciting destinations like Budapest, Helsinki and Copenhagen, (to name just a few!) and I am, as always, excited to hop on those planes and start immersing myself in these fascinating cities!

I haven’t been to Helsinki before so that will be quite a treat; exploring a new city is always a pleasure and I have heard such great things about Finland.

I have been to Copenhagen many times before, but I can never resist a visit to the famous Little Mermaid statue and this time I also intend on spending some time on Europe’s longest pedestrian shopping street, Strøget. It stretches for 1.1 kilometres and is filled with shops, restaurants and street performers: what a joy!

My new colleagues at Presence recently had a team-building weekend in Budapest. They took a great picture outside the impressive Hungarian Parliament Building last month. I haven’t been in the building myself before, but it has an incredible history and also, apparently, a resident ghost! Legend has it that the building’s architect, Imre Steindl, is said to haunt the building as he was so obsessed with the project that he was not able to leave it behind him, even after his death – now that is commitment!

What do you have scheduled for this month? I’d love to hear your news!

Celebrate the season of growth

To celebrate this season of growth, I’m excited to offer a special 10% discount on all my translation and interpretation services for the whole month of April.

Whether you need a certified translation or interpretation for personal or business needs, my high-quality services are designed to meet your expectations and deliver the results you require.

Don’t let language barriers hold you back from reaching your business’s full potential. Unlock global opportunities with human language interpretation and translation services for in-person, virtual and hybrid events

Don’t miss this exclusive offer to take advantage of my professional translation and interpretation services at a discounted rate!

*discount can be used on services booked between 1st – 30th April 2023

Passport office strikes

With the passport offices due to strike for five weeks from 3rd April to the 5th May, I am anticipating there will, no doubt, be a knock-on effect for many of my clients. Certified translations for passport applications are a request I receive year-round, and so I do feel for my clients who may have business and holiday plans affected by these delays. It is probably now a little late to do so, but if you haven’t checked your passport expiry date, please have a quick check, and if you need to, submit your application as soon as possible.

If you need any assistance with certified translations don’t hesitate to contact me for an efficient turnaround of this paperwork.

How will you be celebrating Easter this year?

Sustainability Focus: Earth Day, 22nd April

Did you know that Earth Day is marked worldwide on 22nd April? The first Earth Day was celebrated on 22nd April 1970 in the US, announced by Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin after he witnessed a massive oil spill in California. The date was chosen as it falls, in the US, between spring break and final exams so could gain as much participation as possible. It is now estimated that 193 countries across the globe mark this occasion.

Sustainability is an area which is, of course, vital for us all to observe and undertake to the best of our abilities. In the workplace, small changes across many organisations can culminate in big impacts, and, staying true to my name Mrs Green (!), I have made a series of changes to the way I work to ensure that my workspace is as eco-conscious as possible.

One way I have added to sustainability is by participating in the amazing Evertreen tree-planting community – have you come across this yet?

It is a brilliant idea – companies can plant their own corporate forest through the website Evertreen.com, request access to satellite tracking and then watch them grow! Each tree can be visited (so you know you are definitely buying a physical tree, not just making a donation) or even virtually donated to a third party.

So far, I have planted trees in Hawaii, Indonesia and Nepal and I have plans for many more! It is such a great initiative… where would you most like to start your forest?

Are there any changes you are going to make to improve your sustainability this Earth Day?

Hybrid events maintain their popularity

Something I have witnessed an increase in recently is a move to hybrid conferences and events. Hybrid events are those in which interpreters are based on-site, but which the event is streamed to delegates worldwide. Whilst this is clearly more sustainable and cost-conscious, it is also a sensible option to attract a greater number of delegates whose diaries might not enable them to take days away from the office when they could just log in online to view a particular presentation or attend an online breakout session.

Over the past few years, these sorts of events have become commonplace and the fact that they have remained appealing even now that in-person events are an option, shows that there is a place in the conference market for them and that they offer a great solution for conference organisers. For me, utilising this technology whilst minimising my impact on the environment makes them very appealing and I hope that we witness this trend continuing.

On this day – President’s Club trip to Mauritius

I do like it when reminders of where I was this time last year, the year before, or even ten years before that, pop up on my phone and a reminder which made me smile this week was a photograph from one of the most wonderful interpreting assignments I’ve undertaken to date.

This particular assignment was for a Pharmaceutical company’s President’s Club trip, whereby I spent a week in absolute bliss on the island of Mauritius! I must admit, these sorts of assignments are definitely not the norm, but that week was such a pleasure! Both the meeting and the trip were truly amazing experiences for me. After all, what better way to incentivise your top performers than crystal-clear water, pristine beaches and luxury resorts?

Enabling employees in multi-national corporations to meet their international colleagues with the support of simultaneous and consecutive interpreters can allow top performers from around the world to come together to exchange knowledge and share unforgettable experiences. Whilst obviously not an inexpensive outlay, there must be superb business benefits from these collaborations. It was definitely a trip to remember, and reviewing the photographs brought such a smile to my face!

Easter in Italy

April is always an important month in the Italian calendar with the arrival of Easter celebrations. It is one of the holiest holidays in Italy, and celebrations to mark the event start this week leading up to Easter Sunday. (The Holy Father left the Gemelli Polyclinic on Saturday where he was hospitalised with a pulmonary infection and difficulty breathing)

During holy week across towns and cities country-wide, you’ll see numerous religious processions, including the Via Crucis, or Stations of the Cross, and on Easter Sunday, families gather for a meal, with lamb being the most popular choice. Many towns also hold outdoor festivals with music, dancing, and traditional Easter treats such as Colomba, a dove-shaped cake.

Another tradition is the incredible spectacle, “Scoppio del Carro” or Explosion of the Cart, which takes place in Florence, where a cart filled with fireworks is set alight in front of the Duomo. It is quite a remarkable sight and if you happen to be near over the Easter period I would wholeheartedly recommend visiting!

Easter in Italy is a time for reflection, family, and joyous celebration.

I will be in the UK this Easter but am looking forward to spending precious time with my family, alongside enjoying a few delicious Easter eggs, of course!

How will you be celebrating Easter this year?

March is a month to celebrate women

March is a month in which Italy along with the rest of the world celebrate women, with International Women’s Day falling on the 8th March.

This day is dedicated to honouring the social, economic, cultural, and political accomplishments of women. This year the event will be marked on the theme DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality.

Known as La Festa della Donna, this day in Italy has a symbolism more reminiscent of Mother’s Day. A feature of the day unique to Italy, is that often women – as well as men – gift flowers to important women in their lives on this day, marking their colleagues and friends’ achievements, and as an act of solidarity, recognising the impact that they have made along with their value in society.

There are many fabulous women whom I’d like to honour on La Festa della Donna, I really am so fortunate to meet such inspiring women in my line of work.

One woman who has hugely inspired me, and to whom I would be delighted to gift flowers, is Nane Annan, widow of the former Secretary General of the United Nations and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Kofi Annan.

I had the pleasure of interpreting for Nane some years ago, at an assignment at the International Women’s House in Rome, and the assignment and her impact have stayed with me.

During the time her husband was in office, she focused in particular on developing programmes relating to girls’ education and women’s empowerment. I was lucky to interpret for her during a visit to the Women’s House, which provided shelter and a safe place for women who had been victims of acid attacks. Nane was poised, kind and genuine, and it was an honour to interpret for her: a true advocate of women and a real inspiration.

Memories of the assignment have, as you’d expect, stayed with me over the years, and I was delighted to read that the International Women’s House is still going from strength to strength, providing vital support and becoming a cultural engine for women’s actions.

I am delighted to present my virtual flowers to Nane.

How will you mark La Festa della Donna, and whom will you honour?