Multi-language editions and translations

Invest today for a safer tomorrow

That's the rallying call of the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), whose new Global Assessment Report, Revealing Risk, Redefining Development, was launched in Geneva on 10 May.

Gearing up to manage disaster risk will be one of the hallmarks of good governance over the next decades, says the report's Preface. The report is an excellent resource for enabling governments to improve their act. New features include better analysis of risk for different regions and income groups, a special chapter on drought, a focus on the impact of disasters on children, and coverage of some of the welcome innovations in development practice that are helping countries adapt. Under the leadership of our team and project manager Becky Mitchell, the Green Ink team and its associates pulled out all the stops to deliver the report on time – in English, French, Spanish and Arabic.
 

“Thank you a million times over for your excellent work and project management. My gratitude extends to the entire Green Ink team, but you and Christel have really gone way above and beyond and merit the highest praise and my greatest esteem. It has been an absolute pleasure working with you.”

Justin Ginetti, Associate Programme Officer, UNISDR

A year in the life of the environment

The yearbook of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) brings emerging environmental issues to the attention of governments and other stakeholders. The 2011 edition puts the spotlight on – among other things – the need to reduce air pollutants in order to mitigate climate change, the worrying increase in the amount of plastic entering the world’s marine environments, and the role of phosphorus, a finite resource, in food production.

Green Ink was asked to lay out the English version, to translate and lay out the French and Spanish versions, and to organize printing and delivery of all three versions in time for launch meetings in Nairobi. We also completed an e-book version.
 

“Thanks very much for your great cooperation over the past days and weeks. I think that we have a report to be proud of.”

Tessa Goverse, Head, UNEP Yearbook Unit

Invest now for a safer tomorrow

You see it on the news every week: people devastated by droughts, floods, earthquakes and other natural disasters. The poorest are especially vulnerable and will be hardest hit as climate change gathers pace, warns a report from the United Nations that looks at ways of improving the international response to disasters.

Under exceptionally tight deadlines, a team assembled by Green Ink edited, designed, laid out and proofread the report and accompanying CD, posters, flyers and summary, working on the English edition first before translating into Arabic, French and Spanish. Our superhuman efforts were recognized in a letter of appreciation from the Special Representative of the UN’s Secretary-General for Disaster Reduction.
 

“Reception to the report has been overwhelming. Thanks for everything to you and your team, the gruelling labour has paid off.”

Shefali Juneja, Programme Officer, UNISDR 

Forests and livelihoods

Published at the outset of the International Year of Forests, this ninth biennial issue of the State of the World’s Forests explores the multiple ways in which forests support livelihoods. Special attention is paid to regional trends in forest resources, the development of sustainable forest industries, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and the local value of forests.

Green Ink was contracted to edit the English edition, review the translations into French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Arabic, and design and lay out all six editions. The work was completed under considerable time pressure.
 

“Your team worked extra hard to meet deadlines and showed flexibility, something without which we would not have made our publication launch.”

Lauren Flejzor, FAO Forestry Department

Human development: spreading the messages

The Human Development Report is the flagship publication of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Each year’s edition explores a different theme – for example the 2007/08 report was on climate change while the 2009 report looked at migration. In 2010 a special edition marked the report’s twentieth anniversary by taking a holistic look at human development paths and at how development is measured.

Green Ink has been variously involved in editing the English editions (see Thematic reports) and in translating and laying out the language editions: Arabic in 2007/08, French and Spanish in 2008, French in 2010. One year we also provided emergency assistance, helping to complete the layout when the work ran late and the company that had the contract closed for a summer holiday. 
 

“You really did do a great job in helping to pull us over the line.”

Jeni Klugman, HDR Director, UNDP

Information translation

A growing number of clients are coming to us for a stand-alone translation service, because they find us both fast and accurate. Subjects covered include forest protection, climate change, mining, technology transfer – and many others.

For example, under a standing contract with the United Nations Children’s Programme (UNICEF), Green Ink provides translation into Arabic on issues affecting children in the West Asia – North Africa region. Other recent clients include the International Council for Mining and Metals (ICCM), the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) of the UK’s Overseas Development Institute (ODI) and the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF).
 

“Thank you very much for the fast delivery and the high quality translation.”

Sobhi Jawabra, Arabic Language and Web Coordinator, UNICEF
 

“I was very impressed with the job that Green Ink did on translating the policy brief into French, given its rather technical nature. As a good translator is very hard to come by, I thought I’d ask if your person is available again?”

Mairi Dupar, ODI