How The G7 Summit 2024 Benefited From Interpreting Services

On June 13^th, members of the G7 gathered in Borgo Eganzia in Apulia, Italy. The town has developed a rich heritage over the years due to its welcoming attitude toward people from different cultures and religions. Throughout history, Apulia has played a key role as a bridge between East and West, making the location especially appropriate this year. Read on to learn more about the G7 Summit and how interpreting services played a crucial role in its success:

A Historic Moment at the Summit and Interpreting Services

The G7 summit brings together the leaders of its seven member states to discuss major global issues and promote international dialogue.

This year, however, the conventional way of hosting the summit changed.  The Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, invited Pope Francis, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, to attend the G7 Summit to discuss the perils and promises of AI – a first in history. The pontiff spoke at a special roundtable, offering his take on the summit’s diverse agenda items. He pushed for stronger protections regarding the use of AI in autonomous weapons, saying it should never be left to machines to decide whether or not to take the life of a human being. The pope also emphasized that “we would condemn humanity to a future without hope if we took away people’s ability to make decision[s] about themselves […]“.

To make sure each of the attending leaders could understand the pope and communicate with him and each other, professional interpreters and translation services worked around the clock to ensure smooth communication between all parties in settings ranging from small, closed-door meetings to large, open forums.

The Welcoming Of Outside Countries To The Summit

Traditionally, the summit only comprises its seven countries. However, this year, Italy welcomed “outside“ countries such as Turkey, Brazil, India, the United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Ukraine, and more to join the proceedings.

With so many countries present, major international issues were discussed in order to secure a brighter future for all member states and the world at large.  Given the stakes, hiring professional interpreting services and localization services that understand the subject matter at hand is of the utmost importance to reduce misunderstandings and minimize the risk of international incidents.

Why Interpreting Services Matter

Conference interpreting requires close cooperation between interpreters, even organizers, and attendees to make sure the conference runs smoothly. Coordinating linguists for large events involves the support of several project managers who can help troubleshoot technical issues, coordinate the delivery and set-up of equipment, and craft customized solutions according to client needs. If you need consecutive or simultaneous interpreting services for your next conference, consider working with Language Connections, a 30 year veteran of the industry that serves as the trusted partner to organizations from a variety of industries.