Professional conference interpreting in Portugal goes back to the 1950s. The first conference requiring interpretation was held in 1951. However, it was only in 1985, during the AIIC Lisbon Assembly, that Portugal became an AIIC Region. From 1986 onwards, once Portugal became a member of the EU, that conference interpreting really took off.

Since then, AIIC Portugal’s members have been working for national and international clients in Portugal and abroad. While the majority of members work with Portuguese as one of their main active languages, the region is proud to welcome members with an array of different origins and languages among its number: with German, French, English, Italian, Spanish mirroring the cultural, geographical, and linguistic diversity that Portugal has always been proud of throughout its history.

While being a small AIIC region, its 30 or so members are recruited on the private and institutional market in Portugal or further afield – be it in Europe, the PALOP (Portuguese-speaking African countries), or even more exotic locations. And, since the COVID-19 pandemic, online too: be it in hybrid or fully remote mode. You can see a list of our members on our regional website’s directory or on AIIC’s online directory.

The Region consists of a Bureau – Secretary, Treasurer, member of the Advisory Board – which stays in touch with its constituents via regular newsletters, a yearly Regional Assembly and a social event. The Bureau also tries to organise one yearly training event, depending on the members’ requests and/or themes in the world which can impact their work. This event is shared through the regional newsletter and on the AIIC website, opening them to colleagues outside of the Region, too.

For any questions about AIIC in Portugal, get in touch with the Bureau at portugal@aiic.net