JAMEELA AL QASIMI IN THE VIRTUAL FORUM (LET'S TALK), "WE MISS THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE
As part of the activities of the 46th Arab Deaf Week, which Al-Amal School for the Deaf of the Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services organized under the slogan (Deaf people face the challenges of Corona), the school organized today a virtual forum entitled (Let's Talk). A group of specialists and experts in the field of hearing disability from inside and outside the country participated. They enriched the forum with valuable working papers that discussed experiences in facing COVID19. The forum involved exchanging experiences, building partnerships, strengthening and activating the role of deaf and hard of hearing people in their societies.
Her Excellency Sheikha Jameela bint Mohammad Al Qasimi, Director General of Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services, delivered the opening speech of the forum. Through it, she congratulated people with hearing impairment, institutions and bodies working with the deaf and hard of hearing, on the 46 Arab Deaf Week, which the city celebrated virtually with its slogan, and reviewed the challenges that faced the march of deaf and hard of hearing people in the Arab world during the past years.
She emphasized that the one thing that was most missed in the city during the period of Corona and the isolation imposed by it is the hustle and bustle of sign language in the corridors of the Al-Amal School for the Deaf, which is the nucleus of Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services. As well as meeting people with hearing disabilities face to face and talk with them about their ambitions, activities, and upcoming plans after switching to remote education.
Sheikha Jameela said, “With the determination of our team, the educational process has not stopped for one day since the start of the pandemic. Microsoft has chosen Al-Amal School for the Deaf as a Showcase school in implementing the educational programs over the past five years. Al-Amal School is one of the first schools that entered into the smart learning project in the country, which allowed us to be highly prepared to face this circumstance and continue the learning process, as the rest of the city’s services continued for all beneficiaries”.
The director general of the city referred to the challenges that the school team and its students faced in an effective and professional manner. Therefore, Al-Amal School for the Deaf decided to organize a forum within the activities of the Arab Deaf Week under the slogan (Let's Talk) to discuss these challenges, options and solutions available to empower the deaf and hard of hearing wherever they are in light of the rapid changes in the world.
Her Excellency directed her thanks and appreciation to those working with deaf and hard of hearing people in the Arab world, for their great concern for deaf people in all respects. Special thanks went to the educator Mrs. Afaf Al Haridi, Director of Al-Amal School for the Deaf, which enabled groups of students to graduate from the school since its inception. She was one of the first employees in the city since its inception in 1979. She is still working to this day providing everything in her power and keeping pace with every new development.
In conclusion, Sheikha Jameela Al Qasimi wished that the forum would constitute a qualitative addition within the joint work to empower persons with hearing disabilities.
Ms. Afaf Al-Haridi, Director of Al-Amal School for the Deaf, congratulated everyone on the blessed month of Ramadan and welcomed them to the forum. She has confirmed that the importance of the forum comes from reminding the public of the rights of deaf and hard of hearing people and their capabilities and the nature of the challenges they face. In addition to providing factors and conditions, harnessing technologies to remove the obstacles they face and building bridges of communication with them to provide opportunities for them and their institutions to play an active and positive role in the comprehensive and sustainable social and economic development process.
The first session
Dr. Suhair Abdul Hafeez Omar Um El-Rijaal (mother of men), a Consultant of Special Education and Empowerment of Deaf and Hard of Hearing People, and their Families moderated the first session that discussed the issue of mental health for the deaf. The psychological counselor at the University of Sharjah, Basem Abdul Ghaffar, was the keynote speaker.
Among the important considerations for providing mental health services for the deaf is agreeing on the language of communication during the therapeutic relationship. For example, (verbal - signs - through an interpreter), it is important to explore personal history in an accurate manner and not rely on assumptions and preconceptions.
As for special education doctor Ibrahim Al-Qaryouti paper, he spoke about the psychological feelings and the special educational needs of parents of children with disabilities during the COVID 19 pandemic. The student at Al-Amal School for the Deaf, Rashid Al-Ketbi, talked about the challenges of education during the pandemic. The session conclude with a paper by Dr. Samir Samreen, President of the Arab Organization for Sign Language Interpreters "Sila", representative of World Association of Sign Language Interpreters "Wasli". He discussed the role of deaf institutions in empowering and raising professional competence.
The speaker emphasized that a deaf person is part of society. He has rights and duties. Deaf parents should develop their life skills to be able to keep pace with their hearing children. Non-deaf parents should learn about the linguistic culture of their deaf children in order to communicate and that deaf people should not wait for the sympathy of others. Therefore, it is necessary to work diligently through the role entrusted to the civil society institutions, represented mainly in clubs and associations and to form pressure groups to demand rights.
The second session
After that, the sign language interpreter in the city, Mr. Wael Samir, presented a brief course in sign language, to begin the second session, which Mr. Basem Abdel Ghaffar moderated. Dr. Soheir Abdel Hafeez discussed the issue of the family as a primary partner. Then Abeer Habib and Batoul Haidar from the Al-Hadi Foundation for Hearing and Visual Impairment and Language and Communication Disorders in Lebanon spoke about the challenges that deaf students faced during the Corona pandemic.
As for Assistant Professor at the United Arab Emirates University, Mary Lynn, she spoke about language equality for deaf and hard of hearing students. As for the researcher and human rights activist in the field of persons with disabilities, Anas Shteiwi discussed working in light of the pandemic and addressing unemployment. The conclusion was with Ashraf Odeh, a Trainer and Sign Language Interpreter, who spoke about the development of an early intervention program for deaf children from one day to four years old.
Recommendations
Perhaps one of the most important recommendations mentioned at the societal level and practices is to develop a system to collect accurate data on the extent to which deaf people have access to the labor market to provide a work environment free of obstacles. Developing a guide on requirements and forms of accommodations for deaf people, and reviewing and modifying programs and services related to education and vocational training provided to deaf people.