New York is currently holding the UN General Assembly. It has been reported that a translator who works directly for the Libyan leader, Moamer Gaddafi collapsed during Gaddafi’s 75 minute marathon speech.
The translator was struggling with the torrent of words. The interpreter eventually came to the end of their tether and shouted live into the microphone, ‘I just can’t take it anymore’ in Arabic and then collapsed according to the New York Post.
The UN’s Arabic section chief, Rasha Ajalyaqeen, then had to take over for the final 20 minutes of Gaddafi’s speech.
Another UN Arabic Interpreter told the New York Post, ‘his interpreter just collapsed – this is the first time I have seen this happen in 25 years.’
Gaddafi broke UN protocol by bringing his own interpreters rather than using one of the 25 Arabic translators supplied by the UN.
The speech will probably be one of the most memorable speeches of the UN General Assembly referencing issues as diverse as the John F. Kennedy assassination, Philippine migration and swine flu. Whilst Gaddafi was talking many fellow leaders gradually drifted out of the room.
WoW, this is amazing.
I never heard about the translator collapsing. Surely there has been longer speeches throughout history at the UN.
Your right there have been longer speeches in 1960 Fidel Castro’s speech at the General Assembly was four and a half hours.
And the longest-ever UN speech was delivered by V. K. Krishna Menon, who spent nearly eight hours defending India’s position on Kashmir to the Security Council in January 1957.
Did he not have a partner in the booth with him?