The Alpha EMENA region spans more than 30 languages, and we believe it is incredibly important that people can experience an Alpha course in their own home language.
As such, product translation and contextualisation continue to be a significant regional priority. Building on from ‘Project Pentecost’ (2020), and our Translation & Contextualisation Unit (TCU) in 2021, the EMENA Regional Product Unit (RPU) has now been established. As well as continuing with practical translation support, the RPU has a wider remit to also work proactively regarding AFS 2.0 and AYS 3.0 product development and strategy in EMENA.
Alongside supporting new and ongoing non-core and core product translation, this year the Ukraine crisis presented us with the need to support NAOs with the translation of Ukrainian materials. With displaced Ukrainians across Europe, offices were keen to have their resources readily available in Ukrainian as opportunities arose to reach these people with the Gospel.
We are so pleased to be able to share the following translation projects which have been completed so far this year by NAOs and the Regional Product Unit. We are also grateful for the generosity of donors who have funded some of these projects.
21
Projects translated this year
18
Different languages
29%
Projects involved the RPU
Projects completed in 2022
*AFS Kurdish
*Ukrainian AFS subtitles
*Ukrainian AYFS subtitles
*Ukrainian Alpha Guest Manual
*Icelandic AYS and AFS
*TMC Icelandic (subtitles and Guest journals)
*Managed/supported by the RPU due to no/limited NAO capacity.
alpha.org content translation for Hebrew, Portuguese and Flemish
Hungarian AYS
French AYS and AFS
German TPMC
Polish AYS subtitles
AFS 1.75 in Danish, Swedish, Finnish and Norwegian
Within the RPU, we also look forward to releasing the below translations in the near future:
Ukrainian “Why Jesus?” and “Why Does God Allow Suffering?” booklets – Scheduled for Summer completion
AFS Dari (voiceover) – Scheduled for Autumn completion
AFS Hebrew (subtitles) – Scheduled for Autumn completion
TMC Arabic Classic & Egyptian colloquial – Ongoing
As the Alpha Film Series 2.0 continues to be developed by the Alpha Global Product team, overseen by Nicky Gumbel, we are starting to work with them on how we contextualise these products in our multicultural region.
In EMENA there are 23 independent states and territories that claim Arabic as their official language. We have therefore started with Arabic, as our largest single market, exploring how we can use testimonies, street interviews, music and other elements to better connect AFS with the 400m+ Arabic speakers.
Alpha Youth Series 3.0 is also in development, led by Global Youth Director Dan Blythe. A European writing retreat led by Dez Johnston, EMENA Alpha Youth Director, with a selection of EMENA national youth leads, took place recently to start shaping up the contextualisation needs of our region.