Our Program
Access for All: Plain Language is a Civil Right, is a virtual conference dedicated to using plain language to break down barriers in society. Join us as we explore five themes where plain language continues to improve people's access to information and services. You'll learn from international practitioners how using plain language increases access, justice, and transparency for others. We hope their stories will inspire you to make a difference using plain language as well.
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PLAIN LANGUAGE AND OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE ACCESS FOR ALL
COVID-19 and BLM dominate the headlines of 2020. But the deeper story is one of access. Who has it? Who needs it? How do we get it to everyone? As practitioners, we have a responsibility to increase access: to information, to justice, and to health care.
October 13th
08:00 EDT
Welcome from the three hosting organizations
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Julie Clement, Clarity, President
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Barbra Kingsley, Center for Plain Language, Chair and Host of Access for All
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Margrethe Kvarenes, PLAIN, President
08:10 - 09:15 EDT
Plain Language and our responsibility to ensure Access for All
Live Conversation
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Chief Justice Bridget Mary McCormack, Michigan Supreme Court, USA
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Dana Chisnell, Senior Fellow, National Conference on Citizenship and Partner-Founder, Project Redesign, USA
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Julie Clement, Clarity, USA
09:15 - 09:40 EDT
Review of related speaker videos
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Lynda Harris, New Zealand
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Whitney Quesenbery, Brenda Wright, Sally Marsh, United States
Break
09:40 - 10:00 EDT
Plain Language Musical Interlude
10:00 -11:05 EDT
Using Plain Language to improve the criminal justice system
Live Conversation
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Amreeta Mathai, Racial Justice Program, American Civil Liberties Union, USA
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Andrew Torrez, co-host, Opening Arguments, Founding Partner, The Law Offices of P. Andrew Torrez, LLC, USA
11:05 -11:30 EDT
Review of related speakers videos
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Vera Gergely, Hungary
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Florence Cols, Belgium
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Margaret van Naerssen, USA
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Frances Gordon, Candice Burt, South Africa
Break
11:30 - 11:45 EDT
Plain Language Musical Interlude
11:45 -12:30 EDT
Celebrating 10th Anniversary of U.S. Plain Writing Act
Live Conversation
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Annetta Cheek, USA
With video appearances from
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Former U.S. Representative Bruce Braley
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Kathryn Catania, Center for Plain Language
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David Lipscomb, Lead Federal Report Card, Center for Plain Language
12:30 - 12:45 EDT
Wrap-up and preview of day two
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Barbra Kingsley, Host
October 14th
08:00 EDT
Welcome
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Barbra Kingsley, Host
08:10 - 09:10 EDT
Using Plain Language to protect the rights of vulnerable populations
Live Conversation
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Robert de Rooy, Attorney, Creative Contracts, South Africa
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Logan Myles Stacer, Founder, HE[ART]LAND, USA
09:10 - 09:30 EDT
Review of related speaker videos
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Catherine Buckie, Denise Smith, Canada
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Chantale Audet, Canada
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Mark Biss, Australia
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Hugo Sousa, Jose Luis Diaz, Portugal
Break
09:30 - 10:00 EDT
Plain Language Musical Interlude
10:00 -10:45 EDT
The International Plain Language Standards
Live Conversation
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Laurent Romary, Senior Researcher, Inria; ISO Committee Chair, TC37, France
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Christopher Balmford, Convenor, Plain Language Standards TC37, WG 11, Australia
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Vera Gergely, WG 11, Hungary
10:45 - 11:00 EDT
Review of related speaker videos
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Machiko Asai, Japan
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Andreas Baumert, Germany
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Vera Gergely, Hungary
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David Lipscomb, USA
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Susan Kleimann, USA
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Torunn Reksten, Norway
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Angelika Vaasa, Luxembourg
Break
11:00 - 11:15 EDT
Plain Language Musical Interlude
11:15 -11:50 EDT
An International Panel: A Country’s Plain Language Story
Live Conversation
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Katrin Hallik, Estonia
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Margrethe Kvarenes, Norway
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Ingrid Olsson, Sweden
11:50 -12:00 EDT
Review of related speaker videos
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Katrin Hallik, Estonia
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Margrethe Kvarenes, Torunn Reksten, Norway
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Ingrid Olsson, Gabriella Sandström, Karin Hansson, Sweden
12:00 - 12:15 EDT
Wrap-up and preview of day three
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Barbra Kingsley, Host
October 15th
08:00 EDT
Welcome
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Barbra Kingsley, Host
08:10 - 09:30 EDT
An International Case Study: Using Plain Language to affect the outcome of the health crisis COVID-19
Live Conversation
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Diane Levin-Zamir, National Director, Department of Health Promotion, Israel
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Shelly Davies, Rock-star, business writer, trainer, New Zealand
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Russell Willerton, Professor, Georgia Southern University, USA
09:30 - 09:45 EDT
Review of related speaker videos
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Kate Murphy, Netherlands
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Nadja Green, Sarah Slabbert, Iske van den Berg, South Africa
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Tim Fendley, Louise Carlsen, Sean Fulton, Great Britain
09:45 am - 10:30 am EDT
COVID-19 ClearMark Awards
Live Conversation
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Stacy Robison, CEO, CommunicateHealth, USA
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Barbra Kingsley, Host
10:30 - 10:45 EDT
Closing Ceremony
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Susan Kleimann, USA, Chair, Planning Committee
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Ingrid Slembek, Switzerland, Clarity, Planning Committee
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Kathryn Catania, USA, Center, Planning Committee
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Irene Stotko, South Africa, PLAIN, Planning Committee
Live Conversation
11:15 -12:30 EDT
ClearMark Awards
Live Conversation
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Casey Mank, USA
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Barbra Kingsley, Host
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Stacy Robison, USA
12:30 - 12:45 EDT
Farewell, final announcements, and thank yous
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Barbra Kingsley, Host