ALCA Annual Conference 2025
Explore the future of Africa's Language Services Industry
Day 1: Thursday, 28 August 2025
08:00 – 09:00
Registration
Venue: Cullinan Hotel
09:00 – 09:50
Opening Ceremony
Venue: Main Hall
Opening Remarks: Alderman James Vos, Cape Town Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth
Keynote Address: Christian Elongue, Board Member, ALCA
ALCA Excellence Awards (Sponsored by Bolingo Consult and The Globalization and Localization Association)
Opening Remarks: Alderman James Vos, Cape Town Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth
Keynote Address: Christian Elongue, Board Member, ALCA
ALCA Excellence Awards (Sponsored by Bolingo Consult and The Globalization and Localization Association)
10:00 – 11:00
The Future of Language Services in Africa
Venue: Main Hall
Participants: Christian Elongue & Oumi Kulthum El-Kindiy Ferguson
Moderator: Johan Botha
A discussion of the ALCA 2025 Research Survey
Participants: Christian Elongue & Oumi Kulthum El-Kindiy Ferguson
Moderator: Johan Botha
A discussion of the ALCA 2025 Research Survey
11:00 – 11:30
Coffee Break
11:30 – 12:30
Perspectives on Language Technology & Market Needs in Africa
Venue: Main Hall
Participants: Kirti Vashee, Sheriff Issaka, Charl van Heerden, Grant Bridgman, Johan Botha
Panel Discussion
Participants: Kirti Vashee, Sheriff Issaka, Charl van Heerden, Grant Bridgman, Johan Botha
Panel Discussion
12:40 – 13:10
Unleashing the Power of Associations in the Language Industry
Venue: Main Hall
Speaker: Charles Campbell
Speaker: Charles Campbell
13:10 – 14:10
Lunch
14:20 – 15:20
Accelerating Growth through Strategic Collaboration in Africa’s Language Service Industry
Venue: Main Hall
Speaker: Christian Elongue
Panel Discussion
Speaker: Christian Elongue
Panel Discussion
15:30 – 16:00
AI & Human Translation: A Hate and Love Relationship
Venue: Main Hall
Speaker: Paola Andrea Diaz Uribe
Speaker: Paola Andrea Diaz Uribe
16:10 – 16:40
The Adaptability Quotient: Remain Relevant in a Time of Rapid Change
Venue: Main Hall
Speaker: Sophie Solomon
Speaker: Sophie Solomon
19:00 – 22:00
GALA Dinner & ALCA Excellence Awards
Venue: The Red Room, Mount Nelson
Day 2: Friday, 29 August 2025
08:30 – 09:30
Rhetorics and Technologies of Translation
Venue: Main Hall
Speakers: Dr. Isidore Dorpenyo & Dr. Laura Gonzales
Workshop
Speakers: Dr. Isidore Dorpenyo & Dr. Laura Gonzales
Workshop
09:40 – 10:10
Building Bridges: Partnerships for Global Market Entry: Strategies for Forming Alliances and Leveraging Networks to Establish a Global Presence
Venue: Main Hall
Speaker: Helga Walker
Speaker: Helga Walker
10:20 – 10:50
Leapfrogging the Legacy: How African Language Professionals Can Jump Straight to Industry 5.0
Venue: Main Hall
Speaker: Johan Botha
Speaker: Johan Botha
10:50 – 11:20
Coffee Break
11:20 – 12:20
RWS Africa
Venue: Main Hall
Speaker: Edwin de Klerk
Workshop
Speaker: Edwin de Klerk
Workshop
12:20 – 12:50
Why Pro Reviewers Will Lead the Translation Industry
Venue: Main Hall
Speaker: Salomé van Niekerk
Speaker: Salomé van Niekerk
13:00 – 13:30
East Africa to the World: Opportunities in the Linguistic Goldmine of East Africa
Venue: Main Hall
Speaker: Matthias Kavutih
Speaker: Matthias Kavutih
13:30 – 14:30
Lunch
14:30 – 15:00
Due Diligence in Translation of Certificates and Transcripts for Admission, Employment and Visa Issuance Processes in an AI World
Venue: Main Hall
Speaker: Luke Liebzie
Speaker: Luke Liebzie
15:10 – 15:40
Empowering the Next Generation of Language Professionals: AI, Mentorship, and the Future of Localization
Venue: Main Hall
Speaker: Brenda Baquerizo Lopez
Speaker: Brenda Baquerizo Lopez
16:10 – 16:40
Nick in Your Language: Leveraging Mother Tongue Content to Transform Children's Television in South Africa
Venue: Main Hall
Speaker: Louise Callcott-Stevens
Speaker: Louise Callcott-Stevens
16:40 – 17:10
Closing Ceremony
Venue: Main Hall
Workshop: Saturday, 30 August 2025
09:00 – 17:00
Reframing and Thinking Differently: Growing Against All Odds
Venue: Cullinan Hotel Aloe Room
Speaker: Renato Beninatto (Nimdzi Insights)
Speaker: Renato Beninatto (Nimdzi Insights)