Yemen – Aden holds exhibition to integrate people with hearing disabilities into higher education

Location: Aden, Yemen

Language: Arabic

Duration: 00:04:17

Voice: Natural

Source: A24 Aden

Restriction: A24 subscribers

Date: 22/09/2022

Storyline:

Aden historic lighthouse hosted a drawing exhibition sponsored by the SOS Foundation for Development and Rumooz Association Developmental for the Deaf, as part of the campaign (My university major is optional, not compulsory), in support of a policy paper for the inclusion of people with hearing impairments in higher education. During the opening of the exhibition, the Executive Director of (SOS) Majed Qassem expressed hope that this exhibition would convey a message to decision-makers about the possibility of integrating the deaf into university studies and choosing the major they want. For her part, Iman Omar Hashem, Executive Director of the Rumooz Association, indicated that about 19 deaf artists who are able to speak, eight of whom have hearing disabilities, participated in this exhibition, which is part of a campaign aimed at integrating people with hearing disabilities into higher education. The Dean of Languages ​​and Translation Faculty at the University of Aden, Jamal Al-Jadani, pointed out that he discussed, during a meeting with the university president, the inclusion of sign language in the academic courses that will be taught at the university to provide these groups with more options when choosing their majors. Hearing impaired painters participating in the exhibition attempted to translate the policy paper into visual and tangible paintings to convey and present proposed solutions that might help them.

Shot list:

Soundbite (Muhammad Abdullah Muhammad – painter):

“We presented many drawings that express the deaf and convey their message as part of a campaign themed “My University major is optional, not compulsory.” Through these drawings, we expressed all the obstacles deaf face, aiming to provide some solutions such as opening universities and providing a cadre to train and educate the deaf different specializations, and providing customized halls and audio mechanisms.”

Soundbite (Rania Khalid – visitor):

“Looking at the paintings, I felt that they convey a strong message that this group wants to send to the community. I really hope that the community will heed this silent message. They are deprived of studying many disciplines and many dreams that they wish to achieve. They tried to express their ambition and everything they feel through these paintings. We find images of chains in the legs and the dreams that await them. We add our voice to theirs, and we ask the community to pay attention to this category.”

Soundbite (Najeba Al-Najjar – Exhibition Officer):

“We held this drawing exhibition to advocate for the campaign “My university major is optional, not compulsory,” and to advocate for the special policy paper for the inclusion of people with hearing impairments in higher education, as they are limited only to studying computer diploma major. They aspire to obtain a bachelor’s and master’s, but still The Ministry of Higher Education limits them to computer diplomas only. Hence, we invite all civil society organizations, activists and human rights defenders to advocate for the campaign “My university major is optional, not compulsory” so that people with hearing disabilities can realize their dreams.”