Bridging the Knowledge Divide How the Language Industry Can Help

Bridging the Knowledge Divide

How the Language Industry Can Help

Open content + new technologies +

translation =

Localization 4 All

Access to knowledge:

Saves lives

Fights poverty

Protects the environment

Promotes democracy

Empowers people

Reduces the gap between rich and poor countries

“The knowledge exists to save 80% of the children who die each year in Africa. It just isn’t available when and where it is needed.”

James Grant, former Executive Director of UNICEF

“Access to information and knowledge is the most critical factor in breaking the cycle of poverty in Southeast Asia.”

Asian Development Bank

"The information gap is very real and clearly whatever we can do to close it must be encouraged. Any initiative that can leapfrog over traditional means of getting information to people must be encouraged. Information is power and it supports democracy and it supports decision-making.“

Trevor Manuel, Finance Minister, South Africa.

“Most quantifiable useable knowledge today is domiciled in the English language… the capability of Africans to access useable knowledge worldwide is terribly curtailed. Virtual information locations make access even more impossible since few African languages are being made computer accessible.”

Kole Omotoso, New African, July 2004

“(Until the Industrial Revolution) almost everyone who ever lived was wretchedly poor… Humanity's sad plight started to change with the Industrial Revolution, beginning around 1750. New scientific insights and technological innovations enabled a growing proportion of the global population to break free of extreme poverty.” Jeffrey Sachs, Director, Earth Institute, Columbia University

“If knowledge means development, then lack of knowledge means lack of development.” Reinhard Schaeler, Director, LRC

Step 1: Content

English: 400 million speakers2,500,000 pages

Punjabi: 90 million speakers393 pages

Step 1: ContentStep 2: Translation

Step 1: ContentStep 2: Translation + Crowdsourcing

Step 1: ContentStep 2: Translation + Crowdsourcing Step 3: Delivery

Thank you!