[Draft 6] - Interpreting and Translation Protocol

[Simone]

Note that this is affected by the Gnomes ruling in 2024 GAS 6.

Draft 6

The World Assembly (WA),

Noting that the WA conducts business in a variety of languages in spoken and non-spoken forms for the benefit of its members;

Believing that it is important to help members communicate with each other in an organized manner;

The WA hereby enacts as follows:

1. Definitions.
   1. "Interpreting" means the rendering of one language to another orally or visually (such as to or from a sign language), whether in consecutive or simultaneous form.
   2. "Language" includes all its forms including spoken, written, visual, electronic or other forms.
   3. "Meeting" includes all official gatherings of representatives organized by WA organs, regardless of how such a gathering occurs.
   4. "Specified languages" mean any language specified as such in clause 5.
   5. "Translation" means the expression of words and texts from one language to another, in written form.
   6. "WA organs" mean the WA itself and all of its subdivisions.
2. Establishment of WAITS.
   1. The WA Interpreting and Translation Service (WAITS) is hereby established as a sub-committee of the WA.
   2. WAITS is to be paid for by the Office of Building Management.
3. Services. WAITS is to provide the following services to WA organs:
   1. Translating written texts produced by WA organs into specified languages;
   2. Interpreting proceedings between specified languages during meetings;
   3. Maintaining dictionaries, translation software, and other necessary technical infrastructure;
   4. Provide related services on non-WA languages to the extent necessary for WA organs to conduct their business;
   5. Related services such as editing, proofreading, transcription, and voice-over.
4. Professional standards.
   1. Consecutive interpreting, simultaneous interpreting and translation are separate and distinct skills (“skills”) , and that all professionals engaged in such work shall be perfect (as defined by WAITS) in those skills in the languages in which they work.
   2. All simultaneous interpreting is done to the best of the interpreter's ability.
   3. All consecutive interpreting and all translations are complete, unredacted, and faithful expressions (to the maximum extent possible) in all specified languages.
   4. All interpreting and translations from a source use the preferred terms of the source, regardless of whether different terms are preferred by other WA states.
   5. No WA state may alter their publications or distributions of transcripts, translations, or other publications provided by any WA organs for any reason.
5. Specified languages.
   1. Each WA state is to specify one or more languages widely used in the said WA state as a "specified language".
   2. Each WA state is to provide WAITS with their preferred translations of terms in their specified language(s), and preferences on related matters such as punctuation, transliteration, and character forms.
6. Service levels.
   1. All WA organs must ensure that interpreting is available from WAITS at all meetings for all specified languages that are employed in that meeting, simultaneously and/or consecutively as appropriate.
   2. All WA organs must ensure that transcripts of all meetings are available in all specified languages.
   3. Documents published by WA organs shall be translated as soon as practicable and made available in all specified languages.
7. Skills training.
   1. WAITS is required to set and update from-time-to-time professional standards for skills and to offer examinations for accreditation from WAITS.
   2. All WA states are required to offer education and training opportunities to their inhabitants to meet WAITS standards in skills in specified languages.
   3. WAITS is to provide training and curriculum, if requested, to the competent authorities and educational institutions of WA states on translation and interpreting skills.
8. Specification of languages. This resolution does not regulate which languages are specified by each WA state for the WA to support, except that a WA state may not designate a language unless it is either:
   1. widely used in that WA state, as determined by WAITS; or
   2. is an official language of that WA state.
9. Jurisdiction.
   1. Terms not defined herein shall be defined by WAITS.
   2. WAITS is responsible for implementing this resolution as well as adjudicating disputes over this resolution.