Exploring New Horizons at ELIA Together 2024 in Riga
The ELIA Together 2024 conference in Riga, Latvia, turned out to be a hotspot for folks in the language biz, providing a cool spot to swap ideas, buddy up, and explore what’s next in the translation and localization world. Islam Younis and Luz Sanchis from Master Translations were there too, sharing their knowledge on grabbing opportunities in Asia and Africa, and soaking up a bunch of smart talks and networking throughout the event.
The Linguistic GPS
Islam and Luz took the audience on a tour through Asia and Africa with their “Linguistic GPS” chat, talking about the cool opportunities waiting there despite the usual roadblocks like trade hiccups and economic downturns. They zoomed in on how the Belt and Road Initiative is changing the game for language services and spotlighted booming sectors like tourism, electric cars, and green energy as prime spots for translation and localization pros to jump into.
They highlighted how crucial it is to get the cultural vibe right in global business. They shared tips on navigating cultural and business norms, making genuine connections, and tapping into local networks to win in these markets. They dished out advice on cultural do’s and don’ts, from understanding ‘Guanxi’ in China to the art of gift-giving in South Korea and using polite titles in Nigeria.
When it came to managing teams and tech, they covered the challenges and shared some golden rules for bringing on global talent, keeping remote teams on track, and embracing new tech. They wrapped up with a peek into how AI could be a game-changer in managing projects, smoothing out communication, and tailoring services to meet client needs.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
Danilo Monaco, in his keynote, laid out “10 Tips to Always Find a (Middle) Way,” focusing on empathy, flexibility, and commitment as keys to teamwork in the translation game. He shared insights on boosting teamwork and efficiency through open chats, a shared vision, and a culture of support and feedback. By sticking to fair play and handling conflicts wisely, Monaco showed how these moves help create a positive and productive work vibe.
Boosting Your Online Game
Jason Willis-Lee’s “The Online Presence Blueprint” session was all about shining online, especially on LinkedIn and Instagram. He gave the lowdown on making your profile pop, connecting with the right crowd, and engaging in ways that make you stand out as a go-to expert. His strategies are all about using social media smartly to catch market trends and snag new clients, helping language pros grow their footprint in the industry.
Building a Strong Community
Anikó Pető-Mordovski and Kelsey Frick’s #TeamTranslator talk showed the power of community in freelance translation. With over 1100 members on their Slack channel, they’ve created a place for sharing tips, resources, and networking opportunities. Their session was a reminder of how teamwork, knowledge-sharing, and mentorship can make everyone stronger and cut down on professional loneliness.
Smart Edits and Machine Translation
Giulia Lucania tackled Machine Translation Post-Editing (MTPE) in her presentation, outlining the differences between light and full post-editing and offering tips to make the process smoother. She highlighted how blending translation memories and terminology bases can up the ante on machine translation quality, with practical examples and tools that make a difference.
Finding Common Ground
Rayna Damyanova’s “In Sync” session explored the dance of collaboration in the language services world, likening it to a symphony with stages that need to gel for success. She emphasized the importance of a smooth onboarding, adapting, executing, and wrapping up as key to a productive partnership between service providers and translators.
AI: The Next Chapter
Rocío Txabarriaga dove into how AI is reshaping the translation and localization industry, from adapting to transforming work processes. She spotlighted the latest in language AI and workflow automation, arguing for a mix of human smarts and AI to achieve top-notch results.
Cutting Through the Clutter
Shikha Roy’s “Mortal Portal” session got real about the tangles between language service providers and translators, suggesting smarter outsourcing and tech solutions to streamline work and boost quality and efficiency.
Chatting Smart with AI
Aleksandrina Karabasheva focused on spicing up customer interactions with AI chatbots in her presentation, highlighting how chatbots can instantly answer client questions and smooth out the service experience, pointing to a future where sales and client engagement get a big boost from tech.
The Harmony of Collaboration
For Islam and Luz, the conference was a treasure trove of insights and strategies to bring back to Master Translations. The event was a testament to the power of coming together, sharing wisdom, and gearing up for the future of translation and localization with enthusiasm and team spirit.
Reflecting on the rich mix of presentations and personal chats at the conference, it’s clear that the real magic of our industry is in its people – their know-how, their drive, and their readiness to join forces to navigate the future of translation and localization with open minds and a sense of partnership.