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The International Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC) has been expanding its reach in recent years, and Asia-Pacific has been an integral part of that growth. Though still only mid-sized with 80 members in total, the Asia-Pacific chapter has been playing a very active role in AIIC and now boasts 11 of the 87 countries in which AIIC has members. Moreover, the number of members with Asian languages is on the increase, with an upsurge of members in China, the recent admission of our first member with Malay and Indonesian, and the imminent entry of the first AIIC members with Thai. More than ever before, AIIC reflects the reality of Asia-Pacific.

This evolution is not mere coincidence. AIIC was born exactly 50 years ago in Paris with the purpose of representing conference interpreters worldwide and promoting the highest levels of professionalism in what was then a nascent field. From those initial moments until now, AIIC has stressed a code of ethics built on the pillars of professional secrecy, collegiality and strict standards. Though these principles would be applied to the profession of conference interpretation as it came of age in post-war Europe, they were universal values that would endure and travel well. Today’s vibrant conference industry from China to Australia and from India to Japan recognizes the importance of quality and integrity that is inherent in this approach. AIIC is a stamp of reliability and professionalism that interpreters esteem and clients appreciate.

AIIC itself has branched out from its European origins (its headquarters are in Geneva) as many of its current activities show. The association has set up a world-wide network of contact points (known as VEGA) to provide would-be and novice interpreters with information on training and professional opportunities. A “multi-lingualism” project is underway to promote better understanding of and greater contact with parts of the world that have been under-represented in AIIC in the past. And like so many other groups, AIIC maintains a website (www.aiic.net) with information on all aspects of conference interpreting.

Asia-Pacific contributes

From 2000 to the beginning of the current year, AIIC had its first President from the Asia-Pacific Region, Jean-Pierre Allain. His election was just recognition of the contribution he had already made to the association through his work on various groups and on the governing Council. His three-year term as President culminated with the January 2003 Assembly, which approved a high-profile project on the Definition and Recognition of the Profession of Conference Interpretation to be carried out with UNESCO. Other major activities approved include the formulation of a code of business ethics for consultant interpreters and a major expansion and re-design of the website and related IT services offered to members. This period was also noteworthy for the large number of new members – more than 450 – that joined the association. Jean-Pierre Allain (Bangkok) continues to contribute to AIIC through his work with the Technical Network and the Consultant Interpreters Working Group.

From left to right: Jean Pierre Allain (outgoing President), Manuel Pastor
(incoming Council member) and Luigi Luccarelli (outgoing Council member)
at the AIIC Assembly in Porto, Portugal, in January 2003.

Other members from Asia-Pacific countries are also active in AIIC. Luigi Luccarelli (Bangkok) was Council member for the 2000-2002 period and continues to serve as Editor-in-Chief of the association’s on-line magazine Communicate! He also participates in the VEGA network and is AIIC’s representative to the regional UN body ESCAP.

In January 2003, CIAP associate Manuel Pastor (Sydney) took over as Asia-Pacific’s Council Member. Although this means that the official representative now lives all the way “down under”, it also means that participation in AIIC reaches into every corner of our sprawling, diverse region. He will also be working with the multi-lingualism project.

AIIC Regional Secretary Jungwha Choi (Seoul) is currently participating in the VEGA network. Andrew Dawrant (Beijing) is a corresponding member of the Training Committee and part of the editorial team of Communicate!, while Masaomi Kondo (Tokyo) sits on the webzine’s Advisory Board.

Asia-Pacific’s presence in AIIC has meant much more than greater input for the region in association business. Asian languages are being introduced into AIIC affairs with a number of articles and documents being translated into Korean and Chinese. In fact, members throughout the region contribute to the promotion of good training practices, an awareness of ethics and sound business practices, and the formation of a wide-ranging network of professionals to serve the cause of good communication among people. In such a large region, we recognize the importance of working together across borders. Some members set up CIAP in 1991 to provide consultancy services to clients. All CIAP associates are AIIC members.