DEVENT planning resources
How to Plan a Bilingual Event Program and MC
A bilingual program helps guests follow the celebration without requiring every sentence to be repeated. Agree what must be understood in each language, then check the wording with fluent speakers.
Choose the information every guest needs
Prioritise the welcome, activity times, meal and safety information, directions and major announcements. Decide which speeches or readings need full interpretation and which need a short summary. Ask the hosts and the people using each language rather than assuming their preferences.
Work with the MC or interpreter
Confirm the languages, experience, arrival time, equipment and whether consecutive or another format is appropriate for the event. Share the run sheet and the spelling and pronunciation of names in advance. Build interpretation time into the schedule instead of adding it on the day.
Proofread the program and invitation
Ask a fluent reader to review dates, addresses, names and the intended meaning of each translation. For Arabic or another right-to-left language, check the text direction, numerals and line breaks in the actual preview. Make sure the print and mobile versions remain readable.
Coordinate speakers and technology
Give speakers clear instructions on when to pause and who controls the microphone. If captions, projected text or an interpreter are needed, check the room, sound and sightlines with the venue. A small rehearsal can reveal a microphone or display problem before guests arrive.
Keep changes consistent
Nominate one person to approve the final wording in both languages. When the location or time changes, update both versions and communicate the same information through a channel guests can use. Keep the message short and identify the new entrance and contact.
Worked example · illustrative details
A bilingual welcome
An English and Arabic welcome introduces the hosts, explains when dinner will be served and points guests to the reception room. A fluent reviewer checks names and meaning, and the MC allows time for the second-language announcement.
Your next steps
- Identify essential information in each language.
- Book or brief the MC or interpreter.
- Proofread both versions and allow interpretation time.
- Rehearse the handover and update both versions together.
Common questions
Must every speech be translated word for word?
The hosts and guests can decide what would be most useful. Arrange full interpretation where needed and a clear summary where that is appropriate.
Can we rely entirely on automatic translation?
Use a fluent reviewer for important wording, names, dates and culturally significant meaning, and check the final layout.
Useful next steps
Explore DEVENT before choosing your plan
Try sample tools and review current access, plan availability and automatic communication requirements.
View current plans