The Latin roots of the word “conference” mean, literally, “Bring together.” A conference brings together people and ideas. In the cases of health and community work, conferences often have the goal of generating or working toward solutions to problems or broader social change.
In any industry, conferences are like educational and inspirational events to attend—not to mention lively and fun. They make it possible for practitioners and industry leaders from around the world to gather and help steer the industry for the coming year. It is particularly important that conferences in the translation and localization industry happen every year: due to its ability to take ideas, solutions, and products globally,the localization industry has the influence to drive change around the world.
Conferences may be held in places other than the workplaces and neighborhoods of their participants so that the people attending can focus on the topic at hand without distractions. Some conferences are even held in another area of the country or the world.
A conference may also be held online, or something similar. Teleconferences bring people together through live video feeds, allowing people to discuss issues, hear presentations, network, and otherwise do many of the things they might do at a conference, without leaving their homes or offices. Similar situations can be set up using the Internet, projectors, and webcams, and microphones.
However, COVID-19 has made everyone think twice about holding events, so many event hosts have made the switch to online-only experiences. While doing so has some drawbacks—for example, it’s hard to network remotely—there are also benefits, such as the possibility of reaching a much larger audience. Also, online conferences tend to be very affordable.
The structure and contents of conferences can vary greatly, but a typical framework would include one or more presentations of work and/or ideas about a given topic. These presentations may take the form of lectures, slide shows or films, workshops, panel discussions, and/or interactive experiences. In addition, many conferences include posters or graphic or multimedia exhibits that participants can view independently.