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A day in the life of a Research Intern

Manahil is a Research Intern at LOTE, a translation agency in Australia. Between her researching, recruiting, and reporting duties, she manages to squeeze in some work with the Community Engagement…

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Exploring Lunar New Year across Australia

Lunar New Year is a time to celebrate family and culture and reflect on the past year. This year, the Year of the Dragon kicked off with vibrant celebrations on…

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ABC Interviews LOTE: Urgent Call for Water Safety Education

In the wake of tragedy: urgent calls for water safety education In the aftermath of the recent and heartbreaking drowning incident on an unpatrolled beach near Forrest Caves on Phillip…

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Bridging Cultures: the Ultimate Guide to Multicultural Community Engagement in Australia

Australia has always been a tapestry of cultures and continues to be one of the world’s most multicultural countries. As of 2023, its migrant population growth has hit an all-time…

people waving flags for cultural identity

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Between Two Worlds: Navigating Cultural Identity in Australia

Cultural identity is shaped by our heritage, beliefs, customs, and experiences. It is the unique blend that defines who we are and how we relate to the world around us.…

Women's health week multicultural women's health

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Multicultural Women’s Health in Australia: A Closer Look

With 28% of Australians born overseas, our nation is shaped by its diversity. While being a strength, this diversity also introduces complexities in various sectors, including women’s health. As it…

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The Forgotten Refugees of the Middle East

A landscape of disruption An exodus of unprecedented magnitude, a consequence of regional turmoil, now includes 103 million people living in displacement. That’s nearly four times the Australian population. For…

multicultural research in Human Insights Conference 2023

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Discover the Importance of Multicultural Research at Human Insights 2023

On 30-31 August, the annual Human Insights Conference, hosted by The Research Society, will bring together global thought leaders to explore the latest advancements in human insights and research practices,…

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Bridging Cultures Through Food

Introducing Mayu Bente: A Fusion of Passion and Heritage Food is not only a means of sustenance but also a form of art, a conversation starter, and a crucial element…

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Threads of Heritage: How Modern Fashion is Reviving Cultural Identity

In a rapidly changing world, staying connected to our cultural roots is crucial. One way to do so is by embracing cultural identity through modernised clothing. Fashion has always been…

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Engaging Diverse Communities Helps Us Live More Sustainably

Engaging diverse communities helps us live more sustainably Australia is a culturally and linguistically diverse nation, with a rich mix of backgrounds and traditions that contribute to our unique identity.…

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This IDAHOBIT day, it’s never been more important to support young CALD LGBTQIA+ communities

This IDAHOBIT day, it’s never been more important to support young CALD LGBTQIA+ communities The International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) is a crucial reminder of the…

multicultural communities engaged through sports

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How Adopting a Multicultural Strategy Strengthens Sports

How adopting a multicultural strategy for multicultural communities strengthens sports At the moment, 28% of the Australian population is born overseas, with 7.5 million Australians being first-generation migrants. Over the…

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The LOTE Agency champions multicultural engagement in the energy sector

The LOTE Agency sponsors the Enlit Conference in Melbourne Last week The LOTE Agency exhibited at one of Australia’s leading energy conferences, Enlit Australia. The conference brought together professionals across…

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Antipodes Festival 2023

Antipodes Festival 2023 Get ready for Melbourne’s most highly anticipated Hellenic event! The Greek Community of Melbourne is thrilled to bring back the Antipodes Festival, a celebration that pays tribute…

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How do you celebrate Lunar New Year?

Lunar New Year began on January 22, and millions of people around the world have been celebrating the Year of the Rabbit, and the Year of the Cat in Vietnamese…

Melbourne Fun Day promoting multicultural communication

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Melbourne Water holds a fun family day for the community

Melbourne Water recently organised a free family day at Healesville Sanctuary, aligning with its commitment to improving water literacy within the community. This event served as a platform for fostering…

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The LOTE Agency’s predictions for 2023

2022 signalled a change from previous years in that it was a year full of physical events and face-to-face meetings. Dare we say it, a sense of normality returned. Our…

LOTE talks to the ABC about water safety

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Water safety among CALD communities – LOTE talks to the ABC

Water safety among CALD communities – LOTE talks to the ABC As the summer season approaches, the importance of water safety becomes increasingly critical. Tragically, there have already been 38…

ABC News and LOTE Agency Multicultural Consultant talks about energy inequity

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The LOTE Agency speaks to the ABC about energy inequity

The LOTE Agency speaks to ABC about energy inequity Dr. Aparna Hebbani, a member of the LOTE National Advisory Group, recently discussed on ABC television and radio news the research…

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The LOTE Agency sponsors the AUSIT National Conference in Brisbane

The LOTE Agency sponsors the AUSIT National Conference in Brisbane We were proud sponsors of the 2022 Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators National Conference held in Brisbane. This event…

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Melbourne West Mural Guides Multicultural Communities Towards a Sustainable Future in Victoria

Sustainability Victoria partners with The LOTE Agency to commission a mural in the City of Brimbank to get their “small acts make a big impact” message out to communities. The…

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Sustainability Victoria partners with The LOTE Agency for “small acts make a big impact” CALD campaign.

Sustainability Victoria recently partnered with us to commission murals that would reach multicultural audiences and communicate how to make greener choices on household waste and recycling. We know from our research…

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The LOTE Agency speaks at the PRIA National Conference

The LOTE Agency speaks at the PRIA National Conference on the Gold Coast This week on the Gold Coast was indeed a wonderful opportunity to make new connections and reconnect…

Roger Larkins for human insights conference

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The LOTE Agency to speak at Australia’s Premier Research Event

The Research Society’s Human Insights Conference kicks off tomorrow, and The LOTE Agency’s very own Roger Larkins has the pleasure of speaking. Roger is the Head of Research at LOTE and…

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Cultural Insights Series: Sri Lanka Cuisine

You may already know what makes Sri Lankan cuisine special – obviously, it is spices! But did you know that Sri Lanka is one of the major importers of cinnamon worldwide?…

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Cultural Insights Series: Traditions Sri Lanka

All year round, Sri Lanka is packed with many celebrations due to the number of different faiths and beliefs. One of its most prominent celebrations is Vesak Day. Tilak walks us…

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Cultural Insights Series: Etiquette Sri Lanka

Welcome back to our next episode on Sri Lanka! Sri Lanka is home to different cultures, religions and ethnicities – Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Christians. On top of that, it has been…

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Cultural Insights Series: Travelling Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a small island, at 65,610 km², yet it is so versatile! Even the most well-travelled tourist may find themselves spoiled for choice and unsure of where to…

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Cultural Insights Series: Introducing Sri Lanka

Welcome back to our Cultural Insights series. Through this series, we’ve escaped lockdown and discovered hidden gems of Afghanistan, gotten to know the unique hospitality of the Greeks, and learned some…

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Marketing Trends 2022

Marketing Trends To Watch in 2022 If we’re honest, 2021 wasn’t too different from 2020 in many ways. For many, remote working continued to be the norm and international travel…

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International Day for Tolerance 2021

“Non-violence is not a garment to be put on and off at will. Its seat is in the heart, and it must be an inseparable part of our being” –…

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Cultural Appropriation or Appreciation? Make sure you know the difference.

Definition Although cultural appropriation itself has been around for centuries, the term was officially recorded in 2017 by the Oxford Dictionary: “the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the customs, practices,…

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What does Australian Citizenship Day mean to you?

What is Australian Citizenship Day? Every year, Australia welcomes thousands of new residents from all around the world. And this is a sound reason for a celebration. Each year, on…

Blog Community Video

Webinar recording: “Mental Health in Multicultural Communities”

Recording of our The LOTE Agency‘s live webinar held on 06 August, 2pm (AEST) In this webinar, we were joined by friends from ReachOut Australia, headspace and the Centre for Multicultural…

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Mental health and the unique challenges faced by migrants from multicultural backgrounds

Mental health is an integral part of our overall wellbeing. It affects virtually every aspect of our lives – from our emotional state to daily activities and socialising with others.…

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Webinar recording “Refugee Stories”

Recording of our live webinar held on 25 June, 3pm (AEST) To mark Refugee Week 2021 we spoke with special guests who have made the journey from Africa to Australia.…

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What does it mean to be a refugee?

Every year, millions of people are forced to leave their homes, their families, flee their countries and seek refuge abroad. And Australia is one of the countries that welcome the…

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Webinar recording “The crucial role of faith leaders in CALD communications”

Recording of our live webinar held on 28 May, 2pm (AEST) This webinar explored a key aspect of the faith leader’s role – to serve as a link between government…

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The role of faith leaders in multicultural community engagement

How significant is religion in Australian society? Not only does religion have a historic significance for the world’s cultures, but it also remains an indispensable part of human society. Faith…

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Webinar, Friday 28 May: “The crucial role of faith leaders in CALD communications”

Live webinar – 28 May, 2pm (AEST) One key aspect of the faith leader’s role is to serve as a link between government and community – a responsibility that was…

Blog Educational Research

‘Othering’ in media and steps towards a more inclusive society

“Otherness is a fundamental category of human thought. Thus it is that no group ever sets itself up as the One without at once setting up the Other over against…

Blog Community Cultural Educational

A Brief History of Chinese Migration to Australia

Australia is home to more than 1.2 million people of Chinese ancestry, according to the 2016 census. Of these, two in five (41 per cent) are recent migrants who were born…

Blog Cultural

The Top 10 Chinese Inventions and Discoveries

Ancient China is known for being an innovative civilisation that has given us some of the most valuable and long-lasting inventions in history. The oldest items found in the territory…

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Cultural Insights Series: Music in China

Music is different across cultures but they all have certain things in common. It’s an important way of celebrating cultural traditions, connecting with its people and even helping to learn…

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Cultural Insights Series: Cuisine in China

“It makes your taste buds dance!” is how our guide Bruce sums up the incredibly diverse Chinese cuisine, and his descriptions will have you Googling recipes (or scrolling UberEats) for…

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Cultural Insights Series: Family and Society in China

Whether you’re planning to visit China when international travel opens up, you’re looking to enhance your communication skills, or you’re simply curious about other cultures, you’ll definitely want to learn…

Blog Cultural

Cultural Insights Series: Traditions in China

China is known for its unique traditions and some of the world’s most spectacular festivals. Just recently, on the 12th of February, we celebrated one of these exciting holidays –…

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Cultural Insights Series: Etiquette in China

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Cultural Insights Series: Travelling in China

Yesterday, in the first episode of our Cultural Insights on China, we introduced our guide Bruce. Bruce told us that his home country is so vast, rich and versatile, with a variety…

Blog Cultural

Cultural Insights Series: Introducing China

We recently shared the second of our Cultural Insights Series during which we explored the incredible culture of Greece with a friend of LOTE, Dimitri. From this week on, we’ll…

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The Importance of Cultural Sensitivity in Translation

Suppose you’re working on a multicultural marketing campaign and preparing the assets. You hire a copywriter who’s carefully picking the words to turn a block of letters into a powerful…

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Marketing Trends 2021

How 2020 Has Changed Marketing We all know that 2020 brought around some profound changes in virtually all spheres of business, and in life in general. These changes are setting…

The LOTE Agency professional website translation

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Don’t make a million-dollar mistake: grow the reach of your business with a multicultural comms strategy

All it takes is one misinterpreted word. David Bartlett, CEO of The Lote Agency, implores marketers to consider multiculturalism in their messaging. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, there…

Blog LOTE Services Translations

The Importance of Quality Assurance in Translation

Taking the time to perform thorough Quality Assurance on a translation project is crucial. The aim of a translation services project is effective communication – getting your message across to its…

Blog Cultural

Cultural Insights Series: Music in Greece

We can learn a lot about a culture through its traditional music. What does it sound like? What do the popular songs speak about? Which instruments have been passed down…

Blog Cultural LOTE Loves Food

Cultural Insights Series: Cuisine in Greece

Local cuisine is one of the first things that comes to mind when we think of the word “culture”. In the latest episode of our Cultural Insights Series Greece, we…

Blog Cultural

Cultural Insights Series: Family & Society in Greece

Every person’s culture stems from the family. And at the same time, family is one of the core elements that constitute any culture around the world. The Greek society is not…

Blog Cultural

Cultural Insights Series: Traditions in Greece

Greece is an orthodox nation that celebrates the same main holidays and celebrations as other European Christian countries. However, Greeks have their own authentic traditions around these days which are…

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As a multicultural nation, Australia’s advertising and marketing should be too.

A nation of diversity There are 278 cultural and ethnic groups in Australia. 21% of Australians speak a language other than English at home. We are, indisputably, a nation of diversity. Yet,…

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Cultural Insights Series: Etiquette in Greece

As Dimitri convinced us, “In Greece, everything is possible”. Naturally, there are some things that bewilder foreign visitors about the Greek culture. To get a deeper understanding of this country,…

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The Federal Budget – What’s in it for Australia’s CALD Community?

The Federal Budget – What’s in it for Australia’s CALD Community? This year’s Federal Budget was always going to be a challenging budget to deliver. In 2020 Australia has seen natural disasters,…

Blog Cultural

Cultural Insights Series: Travelling in Greece

Last time, in the first episode of our Cultural Insights on Greece, we introduced Dimitri, our guide to the country of legendary history, stunning nature and incredibly hospitable people. In…

Blog Cultural

Cultural Insights Series: Introducing Greece

We recently shared the first of our Cultural Insights Series. With a friend of LOTE, Shamsiya, we explored the incredible culture of Afghanistan. From this week on, we’ll be publishing…

Blog Communication Cultural LOTE Services Research

“Don’t stand so close to me!” How does your culture affect your attitude to personal space?

Top Tip: Different cultures have different attitudes to personal space. It’s important to understand what those attitudes are in order to achieve effective cross-cultural communication! There is one culturally insightful flight…

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How does Focus Group Testing Benefit your Multicultural Campaign?

To effectively reach diverse audiences through a multicultural communication campaign, first, you need to understand their unique needs, requirements and views. Fortunately, you can easily gain this understanding through research…

Blog Campaigns Communication LOTE Services

What Industries Must do Multicultural Marketing?

Australia is such a multicultural nation with migrants from all over the world making up our population. This means that Multicultural Marketing can no longer be overlooked if you are…

loudspeaker and a man standing in silence

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The Language of Silence Across Cultures

Silence is the language of God, all else is poor translation. – Rumi Top Tip: Different cultures have different attitudes to silence. It’s important to understand what those attitudes are when…

Blog Cultural Educational

The 10 Must-Visit Places in Afghanistan

In recent weeks, we’ve been publishing videos about Afghanistan in our Cultural Insights Series. In these Zoom videos we speak to a friend of LOTE, Shamsiya Hussainpoor, about the Afghan…

Blog Community

Suburb Profile: Abbotsford

Council: City of Yarra Council KMs from CBD: 2km Population: 8,184 Top languages spoken other than English: Vietnamese 462 Mandarin 355 Greek 204 Cantonese 173 Spanish 115 Abbotsford is the home of an…

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Cultural Insights Series: Music in Afghanistan

In last week’s chat with Shamsiya, we got our taste buds excited over the delicious Afghan cuisine! In the final instalment of our Afghanistan series we learn how to dance…

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Why Understanding Uncertainty Avoidance is Crucial in Cross-Cultural Communications

“Should we try to control the future or just let it happen?” G. Hofstede Before you read on, let’s start with a few questions. It’s a Friday night. Do you…

Blog Cultural LOTE Loves Food

Cultural Insights Series: Cuisine in Afghanistan

Rich, aromatic, colourful…these are three words that sum up Afghan cuisine, as you’ll see from our video as we catch up once again with Shamsiya to get a little taste…

Blog Cultural

Cultural Insights Series: Family & Society in Afghanistan

Family is one of the fundamental parts of the Afghan culture. This week Shamsiya discusses the role of family in Afghan society and highlights some key differences between Afghan and…

Blog Cultural

Cultural Insights Series: Traditions in Afghanistan

We all love those special days of the year when we get together with our families and friends to cook delicious meals and celebrate with one another. What are these…

Blog Cultural

Cultural Insights Series: Etiquette in Afghanistan

Earlier this week, Shamsiya introduced us to Afghanistan, its iconic sights and shared some travel tips. So now you know what to see on your first trip to the country! But…

Blog Cultural

Cultural Insights: Travelling in Afghanistan

Over the last few weeks we caught up with friends of LOTE who migrated to Australia in their youth. We learnt about their birth country and its culture, and about some…

Blog Cultural

Cultural Insights: Introducing Afghanistan

Social isolation. Lockdown. A challenging situation during which staying connected has never been so important. We took to Zoom to connect with some friends of The LOTE Agency who had…

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How Different Cultures See Colours: Part 2

How your language manipulates your eyes. In last week’s article, we discussed different symbolic meanings that people attach to colours around the world. But the topic of colour goes beyond that. Did…

Blog Communication Cultural Educational

How Different Cultures See Colours: Part 1

Symbolic meaning of colours. Is there anything more natural in our lives than colour? Colours are among the first things every child learns.They surround us in the environment and they…

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Suburb Profile: Keysborough

A recent ABC article posed the question, why are we still asking people where they come from? Australia is a multicultural nation, home to the world’s oldest continuous cultures as well as…

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How Different Cultures Understand Time

Even after my fifth month living in Southeast Asia, I still never dared to drive. Many travellers will agree that for someone spoiled by driving on the well-ordered European roads,…

Blog Communication Cultural Educational

China – Talking Business and Peeling Onions

Introduction If the title caught your attention and you decided to read on, I assume that you either want a better understanding of foreign business culture, or you like to…

Blog Communication Cultural Educational

Humour Across Cultures

1. Introduction Can you recall a moment when a good joke helped you break the ice with a new client, despite a language barrier? Or when a witty one-liner defused…

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Orthodox Easter 101

From the decorated eggs, fireworks and different dates, Orthodox Easter or ‘Pascha’, is distinctly different from the Easter many Australians know. Why is Orthodox Easter celebrated on a different day?…

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Is it OK to ask people where they’re from?

A recent ABC article posed the question, why are we still asking people where they come from? Australia is a multicultural nation, home to the world’s oldest continuous cultures as well as…

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4 Tips to Ensure Your Communications are Culturally Relevant

Before launching into any communications project, you need to decide what your message is and who it’s targeting. This is particularly important if your targeting a multicultural audience, as using a one-size-fits-all approach to…

Blog Cultural Educational LOTE Services

Beware the hidden meaning: There’s no such thing as “Plain English”

Are you confident that your message is reaching your multicultural audience? To effectively translate a message, it’s not enough to just translate the literal word. An understanding of cultural nuances is…

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Who Should Consider Multicultural Marketing?

Australia is a multicultural nation that continues to expand its cultural diversity. In fact, when you look at the population clock, one migrant arrives in Australia every 59 seconds! This…

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Lin Jong – Western Bulldogs Multicultural Interview

Tell us a little about your background and how your family ended up in Australia… My Dad was born in East Timor. He wanted to have a better education so…

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Friend or Faux? The trickery of false friends

Are you learning a new language? Or perhaps going on a holiday overseas and unfamiliar with the local dialect? Maybe you’d like to converse with a friend in their native tongue?…

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Meet Helena Rojas!

Helena Rojas is LOTE’s newest team member. Her whole working career has been shaped by the multicultural industry, and here at LOTE she will take on the role of Sales…

Blog Community Cultural Educational

Chinese New Year 2018

Chinese New Year is fast approaching, so let’s take the opportunity to find out more! Chinese New Year is an important part of the Chinese culture, a time to sweep out…

Blog Community Cultural Educational

Saleem Habibullah: Burmese community leader interview

The role of community leaders in Australian multicultural communities is vital. They assist in helping communities come together and share their culture, whilst learning about a life in a different country. Check…

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Suburb Profile: Dandenong, VICTORIA.

Council: City of Greater Dandenong Kms from the CBD: 30km Population: 29,906 Top languages spoken other than English: Hazaraghi 2,359 Dari 1,926 Albanian 1,516 Tamil 1,384 Punjabi 1,211 If you’re…

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Chef Profile: Poh Ling Yeow

Many of us know Poh Ling Yeow as the loveable runner up of the first season of MasterChef in 2009. Her bubbly personality and knack for turning basic ingredients into masterpieces made…

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A Snapshot of SA

This year, LOTE is expanding and opening a South Australian Office. We are pleased that we will now be able to service our South Australian clients more directly, whilst exploring what the…

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Sudhir Shakya – Nepali community leader interview

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Where to find the best gelato in your city

Whether you’re a fruity fan or prefer a creamy creation, there’s no doubt that gelato is a delicious summer (or any time of year) treat. What most people don’t know…

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4 smart ways to spend your leftover budget

The year is nearly over, and it’s usually around now that we all scratch our heads and ask what to do with the leftover budget up our sleeves. Sometimes that…

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How to provide high quality images of hand written documents to your translation provider

Providing documents for translation is easy if you have a word or PDF file, you just attach and send. However, getting a handwritten document translated can be a little trickier…

Blog Campaigns LOTE Services Strategy

Benefits of Animation for Multicultural Campaigns

Any message can be delivered, but no matter how important, exciting or relevant your message is, an audience will only take action if it’s delivered effectively. That’s where animation comes…

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Coffee Culture Around the World

From the famous Italian espresso to the Japanese coffee in a can, let’s see how our favourite wakeup drink is served around the world. Ethiopia The birthplace of coffee is often…

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The Importance of Colour Choice In Multicultural Marketing

In different cultures around the world, colours evoke emotions and symbolise events. They can have both positive and negative associations and when communicating with CALD audiences, it’s important that we consider…

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NAATI announces changes to the testing process

NAATI, Australia’s standard body for translators and interpreters offers national accreditation through testing. NAATI accreditation recognises translators and interpreters as able to work to professional standards required by the T&I industry. In the past, NAATI has…

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