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Celebrate United Nations Chinese Language Day 2025 with a chance to experience a Mock Multilingual Conference!

Date
Date
Tuesday 6 May 2025, 11.00
Location
Online for observers and at the BCI for active participants

Celebrate United Nations Chinese Language Day 2025 with a chance to experience a Mock Multilingual Conference!

In celebration of United Nations Chinese Language Day 2025, we are excited to host a Mock Multilingual Conference—a unique opportunity for students to experience and better understand the vital role of language service in a multilingual environment at one of the world’s most prestigious diplomatic institutions.

About the Event

In partnership with the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) in Beijing, this event brings together Mandarin language students from the University of Leeds and interpreting students from UIBE. The conference will begin with an introduction to the importance of interpretation at the United Nations, followed by a series of keynote speeches that will be  simultaneously interpreted!

How Can You Take Part?

REGISTER HERE - https://shorturl.at/Hin1R

There are two ways to get involved:

🔹 Active Participants – Take Centre Stage

We are looking for students to actively take part in the mock conference by:

  • Reading one of the English keynote speeches (around 8 minutes), which will be simultaneously interpreted into Mandarin by UIBE students. You can take part in this with no pressure on your mandarin skills, as it will only require delivering a speech prepared in English. (See below format participant A or B) The Speech should be delivered in a natural style, using general guideline bullet points for key information (rather than read word for word) to ensure a natural speed and engaging delivery.

  • Interpreting during the Q&A session that follows the speeches, working alongside UIBE students to translate between English and Chinese. This will test your mandarin skills, but we will certainly tailor it to the participant's level, so feel no pressure that your skills won't be good enough! You will translate one question and one answer from English into Mandarin (See below format Q n A section) There will also be Mandarin teachers on site, as backup if help is needed.

This is a brilliant opportunity to test your skills and gain hands-on experience.

🔹 Observers – Learn by Watching

If you’d prefer to observe, you are absolutely welcome! You’ll still benefit greatly from:

  • Learning about how language service and interpretation is organized at multilingual conferences (such as at the UN)

  • Seeing simultaneous interpretation in action—a truly unique and impressive process

  • Gaining insight into careers in interpreting, translation, and diplomacy

 

What is the format of the day?

The event will be hosted by Professor Hu Rong, Director of the BCI and a senior conference interpreter trained and certified by DG Interpretation of the European Commission. Professor Hu leads the Sino-EU Interpreter Training Programme at UIBE, and has more than twenty years of professional experience interpreting at international conferences.

We will have five amazing speeches related to Cultural Communication and Interaction in the Digital Age! Three speeches will be delivered in Mandarin and interpreted into English, while two will be delivered in English and interpreted into Chinese.

 

What Is UN Chinese Language Day?

UN Chinese Language Day is celebrated every year on April 20 to promote cultural diversity and multilingualism. Chinese is one of the six official languages of the United Nations and plays a key role in international diplomacy. This day is a celebration of the beauty of the Chinese language and a reminder of how language connects us across cultures and borders.

Why Should You Attend?

This event is a fantastic opportunity to boost your employability, especially if you're pursuing a career involving languages, international relations, or diplomacy.

By taking part, you’ll:

  • Gain real-world experience in interpretation

  • Strengthen your cross-cultural communication skills

  • Practice working in high-pressure, professional settings

  • Gain a powerful example to use in job or internship interviews, especially for roles involving international collaboration

Whether you're studying Mandarin or simply interested in global affairs, this event is a unique opportunity to connect with peers, bridge cultures, and celebrate the power of language.

If you have any questions or would like to express interest in participating (either as an active delegate or observer), please don’t hesitate to get in touch!