Lightning Talk Presentation &
Human Book Participation Report
Hello! I’m Chiaki Kouno (@chiaki_kouno), a marketing representative at Vektor.
I recently participated in WordCamp Asia 2025 in Manila, Philippines,
as a lightning talk speaker and a Human Book!
Here’s a recap of my journey leading up to the event,
my experiences on the day, and my reflections.
🌏 Motivation and Application
Beyond My Comfort Zone
I had previously given two talks at WordCamp events in Japan and one lightning talk in Cantonese in Hong Kong. In 2023, I took on the challenge of presenting in English for the first time at WordCamp Malaysia while representing Vektor at our sponsor booth. In 2024, I was invited to join a panel discussion at WordCamp Asia 2024 in Taiwan, where I did my best despite my limited English skills. These experiences were significant challenges that boosted my confidence. With the mindset of “taking the next step forward,” I decided to apply for this year’s event.
Additionally, as mentioned in a 2023 reflection article by Ishikawa, I hoped to see more Japanese speakers at international WordCamps, especially women. Many Japanese and Asian professionals with extensive WordPress expertise are actively involved as organizers, making it difficult for them to also take on speaker roles. This encouraged me even more to step up.
Choosing the Topic
Building on my past talks about multilingual website development (2019, 2021, in Japanese), I decided to apply with a topic that combined “multilingual site development” and “international marketing.” Having lived in Hong Kong for over 15 years, I wanted to consolidate my insights on global marketing. My focus was on moving “beyond translation” toward true localization, embodying the theme “Beyond Translation, Beyond Borders.”
WordCamp speakers are selected through an open application process, with organizers reviewing submissions to determine the final lineup. The call for speakers ran from July 4 to August 20, 2024. Applicants were required to provide details on their past speaking experience, a profile, the session title, and an abstract. I carefully crafted my proposal to align with the event’s concept, knowing that acceptance would significantly impact my schedule.
📩 Acceptance and Preparation
A road to WordCamp Asia！
After the review process, I finally received my acceptance notification in October! While relieved, I knew the real preparation was just beginning. Until the official speaker announcement was made in late November, I was instructed to keep the news private. Once it was public, I started receiving messages of support, which fueled my motivation even more.
Vektor generously supported my participation by covering travel and accommodation costs. While my talk was a personal endeavor aimed at sharing insights rather than promoting Vektor’s products, I deeply appreciated the sponsorship. It reinforced my motivation to contribute meaningfully to both WordCamp and Vektor.
Preparing the Slides
The first draft of my slides was due in early December. Given my tight schedule, the initial version was only about 30% complete. By late December, I received feedback from the program team, confirming that I could proceed without major issues. The final version was due on January 20, a month before the event, so I dedicated the year-end and New Year period to refining my content.
Even after the deadline, minor adjustments were possible until the eve of my talk. Since I was using Google Slides, I had to submit a local copy of my presentation to the event’s AV team. I couldn’t use my laptop during the talk, so being able to tweak my speaker notes until the last minute was a great help.
The official Call for Speakers page provided details on the application requirements and key milestones leading up to the event. Since the schedule occasionally changed, I kept in touch with the program team to stay updated. Initially, communication was done via email, but later, I was invited to Slack, where discussions took place in a dedicated speaker channel.
📚 articipating as a Human Book
A Library Where You “Talk” Instead of “Read”
Apart from my talk, I also participated in the Human Library, an initiative held during WordCamp Asia’s Contributor Day.
What is a Human Library?
Unlike traditional Contributor Day activities, where attendees contribute by coding, translating, and more, the Human Library allows participants to “borrow” experienced WordPress users, developers, and designers for conversations. It provides a space where beginners can ask questions and seek career advice, fostering deeper learning and engagement.
I participated as a “Multilingual Website Expert.” However, the discussions went beyond just my experiences—many participants shared their own backgrounds and reasons for attending WordCamp Manila.
Looking around, I saw an impressive lineup of past WordPress contributors and industry influencers who had generously traveled to Asia for this event. Seeing such role models actively engaging in the Human Library was truly inspiring.
Introduced as the Human Book at the Contributor Day Opening Remarks
Photo by Hidekazu Ishikawa
I initially wondered, “Am I really qualified to do this?”
As it turned out, I was the only Asian female Human Book. However, sharing our stories beyond language and cultural differences made the experience incredibly valuable. I hope more people from Asia will feel encouraged to participate in the future!
🎤 The Talk and Audience Reactions
Connecting and Resonating
On the day of my talk, my session was held in a room with around 150 seats, about half of which were filled. Many attendees from the Japanese WordPress community came to support me, which was incredibly reassuring.
After my presentation, people approached me for photos and shared how they related to my topic. Many attendees were from web development agencies, and the theme of “going beyond translation in localization” seemed to resonate deeply with them.
During lunch and at the Vektor sponsor booth, people said things like:
- “I attended your session!”
- “I’d love to discuss cultural differences further!”
These spontaneous discussions were truly rewarding.
Interestingly, when networking, most attendees preferred connecting via LinkedIn, highlighting regional differences in social media usage.
Photo by Fumiki Takahashi
Final Thoughts
Beyond Translation, Beyond Borders
My session was categorized under the theme “Beyond,” and looking back, I truly embodied this concept.
The language barrier is real, but events like WordCamp Asia foster stronger connections between Asia and the West, as well as among Asian countries themselves. I envision a future where more Asian businesses and developers rise to new challenges.
WordCamp Asia 2025 was not only a speaking opportunity but also a tremendous learning and networking experience. A huge thank you to everyone who attended my session, shared their thoughts and questions, and visited the Vektor booth!
See you at the next WordCamp! 🚀✨
Watch My Session Here
Session Title: Beyond Borders: Essential Steps for WordPress Multilingual Success
- Slides on SpeakerDeck
- Video on YouTube
- Multilingual Website Survey (Google Forms) – I’d love to hear your feedback!
Author Profile
Chiaki Kouno
Marketer
Marketing representative at Vektor, Inc. Based in Hong Kong, I work across Asia. I speak Mandarin, Cantonese, and English—none of them perfectly! Organizer of WordCamp Asia 2020 & 2023 / Speaker at WordCamp Asia 2024 & 2025.