This year Babels will not be taking responsibility for the interpreting
at the WSF. As members of the IC, we feel it only right to explain why
this decision was taken.
Since the creation of the Babels network, we have consistently fought
for certain principles. These are:
1. the increase of language diversity in order to allow people to
express themselves in the language of their own culture and not just in
colonial languages (including where possible sign language)
2. teams based on a mixture of professional, experienced and ’first
timers’
3. teams based as far as is reasonably possible on geographic diversity
4. planning and budgetary organisation working as horizontal
geographically diverse teams.
5. working closely with ALIS, we believed in a technically and
financially viable option to traditional booths that would also enable
Forum archives to exist
We have fought to be recognised as part of the process, and not
perceived as service providers.
We have worked against difficult odds to facilitate the process, because
we are a part of that process.
Being an activist also means learning to say no, even if this is painful.
The Babels project of working towards Nairobi was born in Bamako, after
the end of the polycentric WSF. In fact there were various people from
Kenya present, and we are fully aware that Bamako has always been an
important stage in the African process
For a variety of reasons, there was a breakdown in communication between
the Kenyan OC & Babels.
The result of this was that the KOC decided to take responsibility for
the interpreting project. This is something they are fully entitled to
do, and indeed local ownership & coordination are always necessary.
We are also aware that an African WSF needs first and foremost to
mobilise Africans including within Babels. Which is why some of our
African Babelistas were already working on using training material to
prepare new volunteers.
But for a Babels project to be viable, a certain time-frame and
co-operation are necessary. Even if money is not available, tickets can
be prebooked two or three months in advance, and paid for a month before
travel. Tickets and accommodation are the heaviest expense post and
consequently need forward planning. Not many volunteers can pay for
their own tickets and accommodation.
So rather than leap into a contradictory last-minute approach that would
almost certainly end in poor results and blame all round, we decided
that we would not - could not - take responsibility for the organisation
or planning.
As part of the process, we are making our know-how available to the
interpreting committee, and also informing the network so that
individual members who choose to help and offer their time and energy
can contribute to the Nairobi WSF.
We have sent the following message to all those in our network who had
expressed interest in Nairobi:
"You said you were interested in the next WSF in Nairobi, Kenya, January
2007. Please read carefully what follows:
1. Babels is *not* going to organize the interpretation for Nairobi.
This task will be undertaken by a Subcommittee of the Kenyan Organizing
Committee and will follow procedures decided by this Subcommittee. In
other words, Babels is *not* responsible for organizing *any* aspect of
the interpretation for the WSF in Nairobi. Please do *not* write to
Babels to volunteer!
2. if you wish to volunteer for the WSF in Nairobi, please contact
directly the Convener of the WSF 2007 Interpretation Committee in
Nairobi: Thomas Christiansen. His email is:
thomas.christiansen sodnet.or.ke. Thomas has requested that volunteers
attach their CV to messages sent to him. The WSF 2007 Interpretation
Committee said it has already begun selecting local interpreters.
3. for more information on the WSF, see the WSF website:
http://www.wsf2007.org?.
Please do *not* reply to this message. If you have any doubts or
questions about the procedure, please write to the WSF Organizing
Committee and *not* to Babels."
It is not the first time a Forum will be held without Babels, and
hopefully we can all learn from what has happened to move forward
collectively and continue our fight for another world that remains
possible only if we all work in solidarity.
In spite of our “absence” from the WSF, we hope that the event is a success.