A training session was held on Jan 21 at Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) for 96 volunteers who will work at the multilingual call center for the upcoming Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

A training session is held on Jan 21 at BFSU for volunteers who will work at the multilingual call center for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. [Photo provided to bfsu.edu.cn]

Supported by BFSU and based on the resources of the Beijing Multilingual Service Center, a platform established during the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics to offer services in 44 languages by phone, the multilingual call center will provide online translations for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.

Zhang Yang, an official from the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, summarizes the challenges and characteristics of language services. [Photo provided to bfsu.edu.cn]

Zhang Yang, deputy director of the Language Service Office of the International Relations Department of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games, explained how the office works, summarized the challenges and characteristics of language services and encouraged volunteers to give full play to their roles.

Gao Yuan, head of the center’s general affairs team, elaborated on the center’s development, personnel and duties.

Ma Fuxin, a senior technical engineer from China Unicom, demonstrated the operation of the company’s all-media smart call system, the service provider for the center, via video link. Liu Zhen, a key account manager from the company, conducted drills with volunteers.

Multilingual call center volunteers gather for a group photo. [Photo provided to bfsu.edu.cn]

As an important supplement to language services for the Games, the center will provide interpreting service over the phone. Volunteers will start work on Jan 23 and offer services in 21 languages including English, French, German, Russian, Swedish, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, Finnish and Czech.