Since time immemorial, humans have felt the need to communicate with each other, either by painting, writing or speaking. Although the origins of simultaneous interpretation are often associated with the Nuremberg Trials where conference interpreting started in its simultaneous form in 1945, interpreters have been acting as bridges between civilizations, languages and cultures since Antiquity, with known examples dating back to Ancient Egypt, the conquest of the Americas, and the Old Testament, among others.
These interpreters, some of whom became very famous, have played a major role as mediators between different cultures and world views. Over the years, interpretation as a skill has developed and become a profession in and of itself, recognized in our communities as an important tool for transcending communication barriers.
The rapid growth of the Internet and information and communication technologies have transformed our universe into a global village, shortening distances and accelerating communication – which is exactly why interpretation as profession is more important than ever as it is facilitating and expressing these flows of information.
Several weeks ago the ICANN interpreter team had the privilege of working at the first meeting of the IANA Stewardship Transition Coordination Group (ICG) held on July 17 and 18 in London. The meeting was interpreted into the five UN languages plus Portuguese and, thanks to the excellent work of ICANN technicians, was followed remotely by some of the group members and streamed live on Internet.
The Coordination Group, comprised of 30 representatives from 13 stakeholder communities has to accomplish the difficult task of organizing the efforts aimed at the development of a transition proposal that will lead to crucial changes in Internet governance. Everybody, irrespective of their origins or culture, is invited to participate in this process, which marks a milestone in Internet's history. As linguistic and cultural mediators, we are proud to contribute to this collective effort which will define the future of such a powerful tool as is the Internet.
For more information on the Coordination Group's work, and to hear the interpretations of the last meeting, visit https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/coordination-group-resources-2014-07-18-en
