Large Medical Conference Case Study

Challenge: Making a Worldwide Conversation Possible Without Language Barriers

Each year, the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) hosts the World Congress of Nephrology (WCN), welcoming over 4,500 kidney care professionals from 130 countries. With a 65-year history, the event features over 240 speakers from 50+ nations. It offers groundbreaking research presentations, hands-on training, valuable networking opportunities, and sessions tailored to address the specific kidney health challenges and priorities of different regions from around the world.

With participants hailing from every continent, including many that speak primarily Spanish, ICN needed a seamless way to support real-time conference translation without the logistical and financial burden of traditional interpretation services. Their goal was to ensure that all attendees could fully engage with the program, regardless of their native language.

Can AI translation accurately handle specialized medical terminology?

Yes. To keep specialized nephrology terms and proper names accurate across every session, the ISN team used Wordly's customizable glossary to pre-load session titles, keywords, and speaker names ahead of WCN '24 in Buenos Aires. That gave organizers and attendees greater confidence in the quality and clarity of the translations.

Across the congress, which featured 252 speakers from 52 nations, Wordly provided real-time translation in dozens of languages, easily accessible by attendees with a simple scan of a QR code on their smartphones.

Can you offer live translation across in-person, virtual, and hybrid conference sessions?

Wordly enabled the International Society of Nephrology to deliver live translation and captions in multiple languages to its more than 4,500 delegates during live sessions, breakout rooms, and online streaming content.

With speakers and delegates from over 130 countries, Wordly ensured inclusive language access for all attendees. This broadened participants’ ability to connect, exchange knowledge, and engage fully in sessions. It also enhanced global collaboration and learning throughout the event.

Without requiring human interpreters, Wordly provided:

• Instant access to dozens of languages via on-screen captions and web/app interfaces.
• Seamless integration with the event’s virtual and hybrid platforms.
• Increased engagement and comprehension for non-native English speakers.
• Scalable support for a global audience.
• Highly accurate translations powered by a real-time glossary customized to the event topics

Future: Advancing Global Science Through Ongoing Multilingual Collaboration

After the success of WCN ’24 in Buenos Aires, the International Society of Nephrology continued its partnership at WCN ’25 in New Delhi, India, again using Wordly to support multilingual access. Looking ahead, ISN plans to bring the platform to next year’s event in Yokohama, Japan.

About the World Congress of Nephrology (WCN)

The World Congress of Nephrology (WCN) is the flagship scientific, educational, and networking event of the International Society of Nephrology (ISN). Each year, WCN brings together kidney care professionals from around the world to exchange knowledge, showcase groundbreaking research, and participate in regionally relevant symposia, training programs, and courses.

With 65 years of history and 30 editions hosted across the globe, WCN is more than just a congress; it’s a truly global and inclusive movement that leaves a lasting impact.

About Wordly

Wordly is the pioneer and leader in live interpretation, providing a high-quality, secure, easy-to-use, and affordable live AI translation and caption solution for communicating across multiple languages. Wordly translates dozens of languages in real time, making in-person and virtual meetings and events more inclusive, accessible, and engaging.

Its SaaS platform meets enterprise-grade security and privacy standards and eliminates the need for human interpreters or special equipment. Millions of users across thousands of organizations rely on Wordly to make their events and meetings accessible to everyone.

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