WASLI Newsletter 06 2018

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PRESIDENT’S WORDS

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ARTICLE

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INTERVIEW

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EVENTS

Read a message from

International Signa

We talked with Lucy Lim,

Check out the upcoming

WASLI’s President, Debra

Interpreting Training in

Sign Language Interprerter

events about deaf

Russell, about recent

Macau is reported by Noriko

and leader in Malasya.

communities, sign language

activities of WASLI.

Miyazawa.

studies, translation and interpreting studies.

WASLI

newsletter. no. 6

2018

From Colombia WASLI's president, Debra Russel and her vice-president, José Ednilson Gomes de Souza-Junior, visited Colombia, holding different meetings to support the associative movement of interpreters and support the joint work with the National Federation of the Deaf of Colombia.

On May 3th and 4th, in the city of Barrancabermeja, the First

The activities culminated on Saturday, May 5th, with a live

International Inclusion Symposium organized by the Cooperative

conversation through Facebook Live and Youtube Live, in which

University of Colombia UCC, was held with an attendance of

the two representatives of WASLI participated, and which was

more than 180 people of the entire eastern region of the country,

moderated by the previous representative of ANISCOL and former

Debra, presented her research on the experience of Deaf children's

vice-presidente of WASLI, Mr. José Luis Brieva Padilla, the topics

education mediated by Sign Language Interpreters showing the

covered were: significance of direct education in sign language, the

challenges that result from interpretation in addition to the

role of interpreters in the processes of inclusion and the who can

importance of prioritizing the use of sign language as a

teach sign language.

cornerstone in education. In addition, WASLI vice-president, José Ednilson Gomes de Souza-Junior, presented the subject Good Practicies on Audiovisual Translation for Sign Language .

The week culminated with the presentation of the new Board of Directors of the new Colombian Federation of Sign Language Interpreters, whose acronym is FENILC.

President’s words

very busy supporting the Oceana regional

interested in volunteering some of your

conference planning group – WASLI will

time and talent, please be in touch with

also hold its face to face board meeting

Michelle Ashley, our conference chair. The call for papers has gone out in English and

there in August 2018.

International Sign and the program

Debra Russell

Liz Scott Gibson met with the Kingdom of

decisions will be made in August. Our

Dear Members and WASLI Supporters, Over the past few weeks your board

Saudi Arabia interpreters in April, offering

venue, University Paul Decartes is

support and ideas on building an effective

centrally located on the metro line, so you

members have been focused on our goals,

interpreter association. Debra and Nigel

can book accommodation to suit your

one of which is to offer training at the

Howard, Deaf Interpreter Advisor travelled

budget anywhere in Paris. The dates of our

regional level. Here is a snapshot of what

to Sharjah to present on interpreters

conference are July 16-19, 2019!

your volunteer board has been up to:

working in health care, emphasizing the

Nigel Howard, Megumi Kawakami, and

important role Deaf interpreters can play in

Our collaboration with FIT has taken new

medical settings.

steps, and we are working on developing

Susan Emerson provided an International

shared resources for countries interested in

Sign Interpreting workshop in conjunction

I also hope that many of you are turning

with the Asian WFD Regional Secretariat

your attention to WASLI 2019. For those

as well as training resources to support

in early May.

planning to attend our conference, we are

interpreters working with refugee

excited to welcome the world to Paris. If

communities.

I s a b e l R e y, o u r L a t i n A m e r i c a n

creating codes of conduct for interpreters,

Thank you to Alexandra

you are not able to attend, I hope you will

Jantscher from Austria for her commitment

representative has been holding her regular

consider making a donation to support

and energy to our shared work plan.

meetings with the Latin American and

delegates from other countries. There are

Caribbean interpreter associations and

many countries that will be very challenged

Our WFD-WASLI International Sign

recently travelled to Uruguay to encourage

to attend given the costs of registration,

advisory committee has also begun to look

that interpreter association to join WASLI

travel and accommodation.

Liz Scott

at the next steps of improving access to our

and to support the on-going professional

Gibson and I are raising funds to bring two

accreditation process and the development

development of interpreters in that country.

interpreters from North Korea to Paris, and

of a dispute resolution process, after

I challenge you to come together with

completing a code of conduct for all

Jose Ednilson and Debra both presented in

colleagues and sponsor a delegate from

accredited interpreters in January of this

Colombia on May 03 & 05 drawing

Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean,

year.

attention to interpreter's work in education

and Asia. Grab ten friends and make a plan

and in television. While in Bogota, Debra

– small fundraisers, large fundraisers,

held several meetings with INSOR, the

Finally, thank you to the volunteer

every contribution helps. There are many

International Sign translation group being

national institute of the Deaf, the national

RID chapters, for example, and it would be

led by Steven Surrency of the US. We

Deaf association, FENESCOL, and the

wonderful if each chapter could commit to

appreciate your work so much in helping us

Universidad Sergio Arboleda, which was a

sponsor one delegate – imagine the

translate many of our documents into IS to

chance to meet with many Deaf community

amazing learning for an interpreter from

reach a broader audience.

comments and raise awareness of WASLI

Guatamala, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Angola,

and our cooperation with WFD.

Tanzania, South Africa, Sudan, India,

Congratulations to our colleagues in

Pakistan and so on to participate in a world

Colombia for creating a new national

conference. We have seen our delegate

association called FENILC – we look

sponsorship change lives, with interpreter's

forward to welcoming you as a new

empowered with learning and support to

national member of WASLI! Thank you all

help develop interpreting in his or her home

for your warm welcome and the hard work

country.

to host such amazing events!

Over the next 12 months, there is much to Susan Emerson and Angela Murray are

do to plan our conference and if you are

If you have questions or comments for the board, please email me any time at president.wasli@gmail.com. And to each interpreter that continues to help us build WASLI, thank you for your volunteer efforts!

If you have any questions or comments, please email me any time at president.wasli@gmail.com.

More about WASLI Visiting in Colombia Meetings in Bogota and Bucaramanga In Bogotá, on May 2nd, Debra held an important meeting with the government entity that establishes the policies of attention to the deaf population in social and educational issues, such as the National Institute for the Deaf (INSOR), the meeting was attended by the directors of the National Association of Sign Language Interpreters (ANISCOL) , the director of INSOR, Dr. Marcela Cubides and her advisory team, reviewed the advances in the field of inclusive education for Deaf people, and its new decree that supports bilingual - bicultural education, mediated and prioritized through Colombian Sign Language, the process of evaluation and certification of interpreters was also analyzed and the possibility of establishing an agreement was approved: WASLI-ANISCOL-INSOR, to support the revision, strengthening and support of the test, which will be implemented in 2019, for all interpreters in Colombia, this agreement is in the process of

being established, prior to the private meeting, you a conversation with all Deaf officials and interpreters of this entity, socializing the work of WASLI in the world.

SHORT NEWS FIT: On 24 May 2017, the United Nations General Assembly recognised September 30th as International Translation Day (ITD) to be celebrated every year across the entire UN network (Resolution A/RES/71/288). In preparation for collaboration with the United Nations in 2019, which has been d e c l a r e d I n t e r n a t i o n a l Ye a r o f Indigenous Languages, the International Federation of Translators (FIT) Council has selected as the theme for ITD 2018 Translation: promoting cultural heritage in changing times. The FIT community encourages the international community to join us in celebrating ITD 2018.

Then a visit to the headquarters of the National Federation of the Deaf of Colombia (FENASCOL) was made, and the video relay service project called "Centro de Relevo" was made a talk with the employees of the Federation, which was transmitted by live video with the interpreters working for video calls in different regions of Colombia.

Finally the day ended with a lecture that was given to about 50 attendees between interpreters and Deaf people at the University of Sergio Arboleda, who has Deaf students pursuing masters in education, emphasis was placed on the ethic of the interpreter and his work respectful of the Deaf community, besides counting the work that WASLI has been developing in the world in favor of the interpretation.

In Bucaramanga, on May 5th, José Ednilson and José Luis Brieva had a meeting with deaf community and sign language interpreters of a local association - ASOISAN. «For us, as WASLI, it’s very important to be in contact with our members. That reason, I am very happy to listen, to share and support our colleagues in Colombia», said José Ednilson.

North America: WASLI North America has been busy this last semester. We have had several meetings in preparation for our face-to-face meeting at the RID Region IV Conference, on 18 July 2018, in Albuquerque, USA. Most of the organization leaders have been attending. Thanks to Daniel Maya, Gabriela Martinez, Carmelo Falu, and Howard A. Rosenblum.

WASLI Board Meeting: The next WASLI face-to-face Board Meeting will be in Fiji Island in August 15th and 16th.

After our meeting, the board will join the Wasli Oceania Conference.

Mexico: On May 12th, the WASLI Vicepresident, José Ednilson Souza-Junior,

gave a lecture by videoconference in 6th National Meeting Bilingual Education Moviment - MEBISOR. This movement is formed by different regional associations of deaf and deaf leaders. The intention of this movement is to prepare deaf leaders so they can go and face the different politicians in the Mexican Republic to request the change of legislationwhere the principle is respect and the r

International Sign Interpreting Training

NEWS

by Noriko Miyazawa

From 11th to 13th May, International Sign Interpreting Training organized by WFD and WASLI Asia was held in Macau, and it was the first time to have the training in the Asian region. 29 people (15 deaf and 14 hearing) from 10 countries and regions who are responsible for various works, sign language interpretation, guidance for local sign language interpreters, information provision to deaf people participated in the training.

The three lecturers, Mr. Nigel Howard, the Deaf Interpreter Advisor, Ms. Susan Emerson, International Sign Interpreter (both WASLI Directors), Ms. Megumi Kawakami who is qualified as a RID Certified Deaf interpreter and currently works at the information provision center in Okinawa, Japan, taught us a variety of values and lifestyles in a theoretical and easy-to-understand way for us.

In the training, I learnt a lot from them through the scene of discussion, workshop, and actual interpretation. They also taught us the importance of international signboard interpreters that respect the sign language of each country, individuals, and the region, understanding the cultural differences and value ethics as a sign language interpreter.

At the opening ceremony on May 12th, Mr. Shimamoto, WFDRSA Director, gave an opening speech, Mr. Colin Allen, WFD President,

Dr. Debra, WASLI President, Ms. Umemoto, WASLI Asia representative, sent us video messages and Mr. Low, President of the Macau Deaf Association gave us a welcome message. After that, representatives of each country and region went up to the stage and took a memorial photo. I felt that "International Sign" makes everyone's heart one when I saw the world map drawn on the wall which the Asian countries were placed on the center of it.

In addition to having the international sign training itself, I think that making the network among the Asian countries was also the important theme for us. Beyond the differences in cultures and customs, we became friends or cooperators who are making effort to develop the Asian region with a common keyword "International Sign". Even at the break time or after the training, we talked a lot about each other's works, interpreter trainings, cultural differences, our future, and so on.

Noriko Miyazawa said: “Thanks to WFD, WASLI, WASLI Asia, three lecturers, and the Macau Deaf Association, I was able to spend a fulfilling time. Thank you very much. We continue to learn in each country and look forward to the reunion. I hope the more people will act as international interpreters in worldwide scene�.

And What about Signing Avatars?

WFD and WASLI have jointly developed a statement to express our concern about the way in which decisions on where and when to use signing avatars as a form of access to spoken or written content is being managed by public authorities. As signed languages are fully-fledged languages with their own complex structures that are distinct from spoken languages, a word-to-sign exact translation is not possible because any translation needs to consider the context and the cultural norms.

The difference in linguistic quality between humans and avatars is why WFD and WASLI caution against the use of signing avatars as a replacement for human signers. Whilst the technology has progressed and offers real potential for wider

use of signing avatars, these computerised products do not surpass the natural quality and skill provided by appropriately trained and qualified interpreters and translators.

To date, machine translations have yet to emulate the human ability in creating a live interpretation (spoken or signed).

Computer generated machine translations cannot render culturally appropriate translations as would be provided by live interpretations from a human sign language interpreter.

For further background on the WFD and WASLI Statement and advise on how and when to determine appropriate use of signing avatars, https://wfdeaf.org/news/resources/wfd-waslistatement-use-signing-avatars/.

LUCY LIM

INTERVIEW

Sign Language Interpreter and Leader in Malasya E-mail:

1. Thanks for agreeing to share with our readers a bit about your journey to interpreting and working with Deaf people. Tell me how you got started.

Lucy: While waiting for the results of the Malaysian National Exam to be released, my sister asked me to volunteer at the Selangor School for the Deaf. At the church, there was a plea for more volunteers from Mr. Tan Yap, founder of the Deaf school. Having volunteered there for 3 months, I decided to take up A levels. While in college I decided to volunteer once a week at the YMCA and working with adults who have never been to school. I did that for 2 years before commencing to work full time after completion of A Levels. Then my parents passed away and thus had no financial support to continue my education. So, I started working with the YMCA Self Reliance Centre for the Deaf. Our focus was on community and education for the Deaf community. We had a support group for the Deaf Youths, parents, teens and children. I worked in an advocacy role for a good 22 years with the YMCA and proud to see how the Deaf Community has grown, building on strength to strength.

2. It sounds like working for the YMCA was a wonderful opportunity for you and that's how you and I first met!

Lucy: Yes, it really was. Working for the YMCA has shaped my career and allowed me to travel for work. Annually the YMCA's in the Asia Pacific region (Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, Korea, Australia, Taiwan) organize the International Deaf Youth Camp (HH CAMP).

The camp is well attended with about 120- 150 participants and YMCA Staff/ Leaders. The camps are held in rotation between some of these countries. The camp provides opportunity for Deaf youth to interact with one another, pick up signs from the different countries and also for us Interpreters to hone our skills with International Sign (IS). Also as some of the YMCA leaders are teachers of the Deaf- they share their knowledge about the education, employment etc. The programme has increased my knowledge and provided the base for my interpreting skills.

3. You have played a key role in supporting interpreter and Deaf Community development in Malaysia and the Asian region. I would like you to describe that, please.

Lucy: I have always love to share, acquire knowledge about the Deaf Community and the Interpreting community. After graduating from Grant MacEwan College Interpreter Program in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, I came back to the region with the new found knowledge and experience. I went all out to use my skills and knowledge. Some of things I have carried out: 1. Workshops/ trainings about Interpreters, skills, roles etc., in Malaysia, Philippines, Macau, Hong Kong, Singapore 2. Become a member of the University of Malaya Project on Malaysian Sign Language Dictionary - was the resource person to seek sponsorship, and Interpreter for the research team 3. As part of the project we did a video series on Folklore Stories for Children 4. Produced the following resource materials & solicit sponsorship: a) Sign the Deaf way b) Signs for Children c) Signs on Sexuality

d) Guide on Parenting of Children with Hearing Loss ((Writer/ Editor) e) Understanding Deaf Culture: Malaysian Perspectives ( Editor/ Coordinator) f) Employment for People with Disabilities & Entrepreneurship handbook 2008 (Contributor) 5. Work with Malaysian Airlines to do the safety video and for the first time having Deaf Signers instead of training “models” to copy sign 6. My career highlight and major contribution: Set up the Sign Language Lab (First in Malaysia) for sign language students and aspiring Interpreters to practice (Similar like the ones in Alberta that I had seen during my training) 4. You have given so much as a community member and as an interpreter. When you think about interpreters, what attributes do you think are critical for an interpreter?

Lucy: Attitude – and the right attitude (not domineering and knowing all) and build up on skills, experience, network with other Interpreters and accumulate wealth of knowledge about Deaf people. You can't be a “great and balanced Interpreter” if you lack knowledge about the Deaf Community and their experiences in medical, education, employment, family situations and so on.

Other things: a) Passion – In whatever you chose to do, do well and with passion. b) Have Deaf Mentor(s) – as they provide deep insight on Sign Language and about the Deaf Community c) Further education in the field of Sign Linguistics or about Interpreting. d) Expose self to various settings in the Interpreting line so that you will be engaged and able to work well in those settings e) Be respectful and be an Ally to the Deaf rather than to make decisions about them. f) Have good interpersonal skills g) Set aside time for “out of interpreting time” to bond and interact and join their activitiesattend weddings, join their hiking activities, pot lucks etc. h) Have good stamina- go to the gym, workout for energy to interpret.

I) Love languages – interpreting is also about the use of terms/words in different languages 5. Perfect – thanks for that wisdom! What do you see as the positive changes in your region for Deaf and Interpreter communities right now?

Lucy: The Deaf are more assertive and know that Interpreters are to be provided for any event. Previously, the Deaf have to bring their own Interpreters but now many of the Deaf have requested for the availability of Interpreters be present for their workshops, talks or events. There is more awareness in the community - previously the Deaf would only attend or be invited to talks/workshops related to people with disabilities and Deaf community. However, the Deaf Community are now exploring and attending talks on entrepreneurship, multi-level marketing, and more Deaf students are attending tertiary education at college or university.

6. What more need to be done in your region?

Lucy: We need more Interpreter Training Programmes, making it an occupation that the person can develop. Right now, there are not enough “jobs” for Sign Language Interpreters thus a person would find it

difficult to depend on Interpreting alone as their salary. We need to set up more University Programmes, to train students as sign language Interpreters. More recognition in this field and finally we lack of Interpreters who can be both fluent in more than two languages.

7. Do you have any advice to new Interpreters?

Lucy: There will be many challenges especially on the advocacy role but don't give up- continue to pursue your skills and knowledge, continue to network not only with the Interpreters from your own country but the other country as well. Be the BEST interpreter you can be in your country. Set time to write papers, present at conferences. Do the preparation required for you assignments and if not sure discuss with your Deaf Mentor or seek a Deaf friend's view. In Malaysia, I'm fortunate to have Koon Wei (a Deaf Linguist / Resource Person and while Im in Singapore I have Jessica Mak ( A strong Deaf advocate ) to offer me inputs and insights .

8. You are not interpreting now, but you have found a way to include the Deaf community in your new role. Tell me about that?

Lucy: I am now contributing my experience having work with the Deaf Community in YMCA to the Singapore Cancer Society, where I work full time. When I moved to work in Singapore, the first thing I did was offer to interpret for the Deaf at our many cancer workshops that we organized for the public and support groups. I had contacts with Singapore Deaf community, managed to inform the Deaf Community and about 10 deaf people attend our workshops, and I work with local interpreters like Evelyn and Claudine to cointerpret them. I also was able to find Deaf people living with cancer and offer support. As our Society clinic offers free Pap Smear screening at our Clinic, Deaf women can make appointments and I interpret for them in their interviews with the Nurse/ Doctor. We have had a deaf woman join our Saturday walking group, and now some of the hearing people in support group are taking sign language so they can offer peer to peer support with basic sign language. As much as possible and whenever possible, I try to provide some pro-bono services in the community – Interpret for Election rallies, Outdoor recreational activities , even a trip to Bhutan! and occasionally for students in the tertiary education like Malaysia, some universities in Singapore cannot pay for interpreters so I do some of that – if you don't, you lose your sign!

9. Last words?

Lucy: be open, keep learning – every interpreter you meet can teach you something.

Be passionate in what you do and treat Interpreting as a professional job!

IS Interpreters Coordenator Greetings from WASLI, My name is Steven Surrency. I am a recently accredited IS interpreter. I have volunteered to assist the WASLI Board by coordinating teams of volunteer IS translators to translate WASLI documents into IS. In this role, I hope to help translators get everything they need to make all WASLI material accessible to all IS users.

We are looking for accredited members to be a part of these translation teams. Volunteers will work in pairs or groups of three to translate documents on an asneeded volunteer basis. Would you be willing to be added to the list of possible volunteers? When the need for a translation arises, translators on the list will be asked if they are available to work in small team to translate the document. Please don't feel like saying "yes" this email will necessarily mean that you are immediately accepting a translation task. You will be asked before any translation is assigned to you. Our preference is for accredited Deaf interpreters to provide the on-screen translations as IS language experts. However, we also need accredited hearing interpreters to serve on the teams as active members of the translation process.

If you are willing to be added to our list of volunteer translators, I hope to hear from you soon.

Thank you for your consideration and have a wonderful day.

https://wasliparis2019.wordpress.com

INTERNATIONAL WEEK OF THE DEAF

23 to 30 September 2018

The theme shared between the International Day of Sign Languages (IDSL) and the International Week of the Deaf (IWDeaf) is “With Sign Language, Everyone is Included!”

The IDSL has been adopted by the United Nations General Assembly to be celebrated annually on 23 September beginning in 2018.

Members of the International Deaf Community gather together during this time to promote the status of sign languages and the rights of deaf people. Going forward, WFD will take the lead in promoting IDSL and IWDeaf one day of the week.

Inclusion and equal participation in society require sign languages to be accessible, respected and supported, all of which are subsequently required to achieve any of the sustainable development goals established by United Nations.

CAMPAIGN KEY MESSAGES

OUTREACH Reach out to and influence as many governments as possible to legally fulfill obligations to promote the status

CORE PRINCIPLES

of sign languages and linguistic human rights of deaf people

PROMOTE

Reflect the principles of the CRPD in its

Promote sign language as a critical

recognition of sign languages as equal to

prerequisite to the full realisation of

spoken languages

human rights for deaf people

EARLY ACCESS Stress early access to sign language

UNDERSTANDING

and services in sign language,

Emphasise that when working with deaf

including quality education available

communities, the principle of “nothing

in sign language, is vital to the growth

about us without us” must be considered

and development of the deaf individual

and integrated

and critical to the achievement of the internationally agreed development goals

EMPHASIS Emphasise that sign languages

UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES

are fully fledged natural languages,

Promote deaf people as unique in having

structurally distinct from spoken languages, alongside which

LANGUAGE DIVERSITY

they coexist

Promote sign language and deaf culture as multilingualism and as a means of promoting, protecting and preserving diversity of languages and cultures globally

both perspectives of disability and linguistic minority

EVENTS FIJI WASLI Oceania Conference Nadi 17 - 19 August, 2018 E-mail: autoceania.wasli@gmail.com BRAZIL 6th National Congress of Research on Sign Language Interpreting Florianópolis 1st - 5 October 2018 Wensite: http://www.congressotils.com.br

CROATIA EFSLI Conference Dubrovnik 14 - 16 September 2018 Website: http://efsli.org/2018

and Researchers Conference Reykjavik 11 - 13 May 2019 Website: https://www.dac2019.com

COLOMBIA 2nd National Meeting of Colombian Sign Language Interpreters (Colombia) Pasto 9 - 11 October 2018 Website: http://fenilc.com/eventos/

FRANCE Conference CODA 2019 Paris 11 - 14 July 2019 Website: https://codafrance.org/conference-coda2019

ICELAND 9th International Deaf Academics

WASLI Conference Paris 17 - 20 July, 2019 Website: www.wasli.org XVIII World Congress of WFD Paris 23 - 27 July, 2019 Website: www.paris-wfd2019.org GERMANY TISLR13 - Conference of Theoretical Issues in Sign Language Research Hamburg 26 - 28 September 2019 Website: https://www.idgs.unihamburg.de/en/tislr2019.html

The views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect those of the World Association of Sign Language Interpreters. The Editor, together with the WASLI Executive Board and external contributors, produce the WASLI newsletter. WASLI will work to ensure the authenticity of any information provided. We reserve the right to edit all submissions that are published. WASLI accepts no liability for the accuracy of the contents or any opinions expressed. Readers are invited to reproduce information provided the source is quoted. Readers should contact secretary@wasli.org for permission to use WASLI official photographs, or to advise of a change of email address.

WASLI EXECUTIVE BOARD Officers: Deb Russell (President); José Ednilson Gomes de Souza Junior (Vice President); Isabelle Heyerick (Secretary); Susan Emerson (Treasurer) Regional Representatives: Angela Murray(Oceania); Natasha Maliko (Africa); Etsuko Umemoto (Asia); Desanka Zizic (Balkans); Isabel Rey (Latin America and Caribbean); Liz Mendoza (North America); Igor Bondarenko & Anna Komarova (Transcaucasia & Central Asia); Christopher Stone (Europe); Held AlShowaier (Arab Region Contact Person).

FOLLOW US

WASLI VOLUNTEERS Deaf Interpreter Advisor: Nigel Howard Membership Coordinator: Heather Shores Social Media Coordinator: Suzanne Ehrlich Written Translation Coordinator: vacant IS Translation Coordinator: Steven Surrency Web: Patrick Wiche & Patrick Galasso Newsletter Editor: José Ednilson Gomes de Souza Junior Fund Development Committee: Chris Grooms & Bibi Dalacey-Mould Educational Video Modules: Simone Scholl

CONTACT US WASLI Office 7/211 Wellington Street Collingwood Victoria 3066 Australia

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