Babels is a network of interpreters, translators and volunteers that wants to be a player in the anti-globalization debate. Babels is not a service but a political actor.
Babels supports all unpaid interpretation and translation of European Social Forum and World Social Forum. It consists of a growing number of volunteers (sometimes called babelitos or babelitas) all over the world, whose tasks range from assisting (material and moral) interpreters to develop common linguistic tools available to all through seeking new volunteers. Babels name is plural to indicate the supranational character of the network.
Babels was established in September 2002, for the purposes of ESF in Florence. In two months the various national coordination meeting reached over 300 volunteer interpreters and translators.
Today there are national coordination centers in France, Italy, Germany, UK, Spain, Greece, Hungary, Turkey, Russia, United States, Brazil, Japan and Korea. There is also a focal point for the Arabic language.
Babels has adopted a charter to clarify its objectives and scope, as well as tools and protocols, to facilitate transparency and communication.
Translated and adapted from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License.
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