Remote participation requirements for multilingual United Nations meetings

Remote meeting requirements

When organizing or attending a virtual or hybrid meeting at the United Nations, there are a few things to bear in mind.

Good sound quality is paramount in multilingual communication – after all, what cannot be heard, cannot be understood, and cannot be interpreted accurately. Poor sound quality can impact the health of interpreters.

Fortunately, a little planning is all it takes to have a better set-up, and it does not need to be expensive.

The right equipment is crucial:

Make sure you are joining the meeting from a computer connected via an ethernet cable.

Use a good-quality, external USB microphone – no Bluetooth or gamer headsets, earphones or integrated computer microphones.

When taking the floor in a virtual setting:

Silence all other devices and notifications
Use a quiet room
Mute your microphone when not speaking
Remember to speak at a moderate pace
Share your statements with interpreters in advance – they will be treated as confidential.

Please check out our series of infographics for guidance on the use of remote participation in meetings with interpretation and how you can support interpreters in performing their work.

These simple steps will ensure that meetings go as smoothly as possible, and that the interpreters are able to do their job accurately and safely.

The world is listening, make sure you’re heard.

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