International Communication : Getting it right Calliope Interpreters Recently organized CALLIOPE INTERPRETERS film Smart speaking at international meetings   Effective communication is vital for all international companies. The message must be clear and convincing and chime with the corporate image.  This is particularly important as companies position themselves for the recovery. Brief the interpreters and give them all the conference presentations so they can prepare as meticulously as the speakers.   At some point in the communication chain companies must talk to their clients at international meetings and need interpreters to put their message across.  They simply have to get it right at this final stage; a mistake can prove expensive in the long run.   Conference interpreting is a bona fide profession requiring trained experts and proper working conditions. Interpreters are bound by professional secrecy and will not disclose information you give them. They are part of your team.   How to avoid the pitfalls ?   Seamless communication will be delivered impeccably in all languages. Use a consultant interpreter who really knows the business and will help prepare the event thoroughly by recruiting the best available team for the subject and languages required.   Among the conferences recently organized by the Calliope Interpreters network are : ICANN: the world association that governs domain names and e-mail addresses on the Internet brought more than 1,100 delegates to Mexico from 18 February to 6 March 2009. Interpretation was provided in English, French and Spanish. This is a complex event because of the number of parallel sessions and the technical subject matter. As in Paris in 2008, Calliope again recruited a team of interpreters who rose to the challenge. GLOBAL SPORTS FORUM: Barcelona is bidding to specialize in sporting events and from 25-27 February 2009 it hosted this conference that considered sport's reaction to the current crisis, how sport can support good causes and its role for young people; the event comprised a series of plenary and round table sessions. Calliope recruited 25 interpreters who had all gained sporting experience at the Barcelona Olympics and at meetings of the International Olympic Committee and other international sports federations. The event was a success and the city council will support it over the next five years. EORNAC:the European Operating Room Nurses Association held its 5th congress in Copenhagen from 17-19 April 2009 with some 1,900 participants. The interpreting team covering French, Danish, Italian, Spanish and English was organized by Calliope, as had happened at the 4th congress in Dublin in 2006. You can see other meetings organized by Calliope at: http://calliope-interpreters.org/en/reseau4_uk.htm Calliope recently produced a 4-minute animation to guide speakers at international meetings. The African Development Bank, NATO and the International Criminal Court are using it to heighten speakers' awareness. The European Commission is showing it to its own speakers. The European Parliament is providing a 23 language version to all members elected at the recent elections. See the DVD at http://www.calliope-interpreters.org/call_movie_uk.htm The Calliope network was created in 2000 and is now present in 20 countries with the largest conference interpretation markets. It is the first worldwide network of independent consultant interpreters who are all working professional interpreters and members of the International Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC). Thanks to their long experience and the pooling of resources, Calliope supports its clients anywhere in the world. In 2008 Calliope organized more than 670 conferences in 43 countries and 33 languages. Where to find our members Rosaura Bartumeu ANDORRA • Martine Bonadona PARIS • Cristina del Castillo MEXICO • Pablo Chang-Castillo SAN FRANCISCO • Hazel Cole TORONTO • Laurence Correard LISBOA  •  Patrick Delhaye WELLINGTON • Haris Ghinos ATHENS • Danielle Gree BARCELONA • Alexandra Hambling DUBLIN • Linda Hoffmeyer COPENHAGEN • Victor Imboua-Niava ACCRA • Heloise Martins-Costa RIO DE JANEIRO • Maria Cecilia Navas BOGOTA • Nathalie Pijollet BERLIN • Irina Pipis NICOSIA • Christoph Renfer ZURICH • Claudia Ricci RIMINI • Bertold Schmitt SYDNEY • Phil Smith GENEVA • Martyn Swain CAPE TOWN