FDI Congres september 2009

Congrestolken and the FDI—Plenty of Reasons to Smile

For decades, Congrestolken has been providing conference interpreters to the International Dental Federation (FDI). The 2009 FDI Annual World Dental Congress in Singapore yet was another milestone. In a world where change is the only constant, what is the secret of the long-standing relationship between Congrestolken and the FDI?

The FDI is a federation of National Dental Associations founded in Paris in 1900 to represent the dental profession worldwide. Since its inception, save for the turbulent years of the two World Wars, the FDI has held an Annual World Dental Congress in cities around the globe. These world congresses bring dentists together to discuss issues affecting the dental profession, with the ultimate aim of achieving optimal oral health for all peoples.

Strong attendance at FDI congresses is essential to the sound economy of the FDI. To enable communication among participants who speak different languages, simultaneous interpretation is required. Enter Congrestolken…

Congrestolken was born in Amsterdam in 1976 as a cooperative of conference interpreters committed to providing excellent service, a youngster by FDI standards. But already in the 1950’s, Congrestolken founder Henri Methorst was recruiting teams of interpreters for the FDI. It was at the 1978 FDI Annual Congress that this writer, then a Madrid-based interpreter, worked for Congrestolken and the FDI both for the first time. Little could I know then, I pondered, as I mad my way back from Singapore, what a seminal moment that Madrid congress would prove to be in my interpreting life. Many Congrestolken and FDI assignments later, it’s interesting to look back.

What does the FDI require of Congrestolken, and how do we oblige?

Simultaneous translation at FDI congresses is provided at a wide range of business and scientific meetings, including: Council sessions, where discussion delves deep into the stewardship, administration, and finances of the FDI; the General Assembly, where parliamentary procedure is used to conduct deliberations; the Open Fora, which spawn free and vigorous debate on any topic under the dental sun; and the Scientific Programme, a festival of educational lectures, courses and workshops focusing on the latest advancements and techniques in dentistry.

All of the above demand serious professional interpreter talent. The challenge—for Lineke Hofdijk, conference interpreter and Congrestolken executive director—is to provide it as economically as possible in every corner of the globe the FDI chooses as a venue. To accomplish that, she draws from the worldwide ranks of the International Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC), which vets its members for experience and competence, and holds them to the highest principles of integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.

Founded in 1953 as an association of individual professionals, AIIC established the standards of practice that guarantee peak interpreter performance. These standards are followed in the European Union, the United Nations, and other multilingual organizations such as the FDI. In practice, the standards translate into a simple enough formula: recruit qualified interpreters in sufficient numbers, provide them with the material they need to prepare for the conference, and place them in simultaneous interpretation booths where they can hear, see, and concentrate.

But what specific attributes must the aspiring FDI interpreter have? At a minimum, the ability to interpret high-level scientific and intellectual discussion and thorough familiarity with Robert’s Rules of Order, the FDI Dental Lexicon, and the PAHO/WHO Glossary of Dental Terms. Some interpreters maintain that first-hand experience with periodontal disease, at least one dental implant, and easy access to a Starbucks are also essential, but these claims are not entirely science based.

In addition, what is unquestionably required for effective interpreting at FDI congresses is a detailed understanding of the organizational structure, principles and priorities that inform the language of the large, century-old FDI. Through the decades, Congrestolken has grown a pool of interpreters who have acquired this critical knowledge and passed it on from one generation of interpreters to another. This ability to provide contractors who know and identify with the FDI is what enables Congrestolken to assist the FDI Secretariat in their daunting task of ensuring the success of each world congress. It is the key to the long-lasting relationship between the FDI and Congrestolken.

If there is another key element, it has to be the many-times demonstrated FDI confidence in its interpreters’ integrity and loyalty. There is no greater compliment than to be trusted, nor any loftier reason for Congrestolken interpreters to take pride and pleasure in working for the FDI. Add to this that the congresses reunite them with old friends, against the backdrop of some of the most attractive cities in the world, and the job-satisfaction meter (as an old FDI hand likes to put it) invariably hits record highs.

Sarita Gómez-Mola
Conference Interpreter Member of AIIC
Currently based in Houston, TX