WASLI Newsletter no 5 2017

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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

Discover details about the

We talked with Ivana Bucko,

Check out the upcoming

WASLI’s President, Debra

Taiwanese Sign Language

the president of European

events about deaf

Russell, about recent

Interpreter Association - the

Forum of Sign Language

communities, sign language

activities of WASLI.

newest one.

Interprerters.

studies, translation and interpreting studies.

WASLI

newsletter. no. 5

2017

WFD and WASLI Co-operation Agreement is signed.

On the 3rd international Conference of the WFD, in Budapest, Hungary, we renewed our cooperation agreement building on our first ten years of formal partnership between WFD and WASLI. Our successes together are many and we encourage all national interpreter

and Deaf associations to adopt cooperation and collaboration in the same way! Here's to the next ten years of joint work supporting deaf people's human rights via professional interpreters serving the community to bring full inclusion with Sign Language.

President’s words Debra Russell

Welcome to this Dec 2017 WASLI Newsletter.

As you will read there is plenty going on in our WASLI world and we are glad you are a part of that. Here are some things that we have been doing to keep advancing the profession of interpreting at the international level: Africa: In May I provided two video presentations for our African colleagues, focusing on the ways in which interpreters can grow into leadership roles and support their local deaf and interpreter communities. The AFSLI conference was held in Nigeria and our thanks to our African regional rep, Natasha Malika and to our long time WASLI supporter, Tim Tinat, for their efforts to unite interpreters working throughout the African continent.

North America: In June I was invited to a mental health and interpreting conference in my home country of Canada, to highlight the role of WASLI in developing interpreting, and how better interpreter training and collaboration between deaf and non-deaf interpreters supports the provision of mental health interpreting around the world.

I also hosted two fundraisers with proceeds shared between the Canadian Deaf Women's Conference and the CODA international Conference. The focus of those presentations was honouring the deaf women and interpreters raised in deaf families that have significantly shaped my understanding of language and interpreting. This included those women at the international level who have given so much and left a mark on me, including Liz Scott Gibson, Liisa Kauppinen, Hend Al-Showaier, and Jemina Napier, to name but a few. Thank you to all who contributed to the fundraising. Have you thanked the people who have shaped your career?

Latin America: July 15-16 saw the WASLI board convening our annual board meeting in

conjunction with the Latin American Sign

conflict zones for governments outside of the

Language Interpreters Conference held at

country, for example, for the US government.

Panama City, Panama. Those board members

Our lobbying has meant that visas have been

not attending the conference participated by

secured for interpreters and translators from Iraq

Skype, sharing their successes and struggles. We

and Afghanistan, in order to resettled in

were very pleased to be able to work through our

countries like Canada and the USA.

agenda, which included identifying potential keynote presenters for WASLI 2019 so watch for

The FIT members showed a great deal of interest

those announcements. Special thanks to our

in WASLI and signed language interpretation

Latin American Representative, Isabel Rey,

around the world. Our presence at the

from Peru, and our colleagues in the Panama

conference strengthened our visibility as an

Sign Language Interpreters Association,

international association, and also helped to

especially Noel Daniel and Gabriel Gonzales,

educate delegates on signed language

for their hard work in hosting such a successful

interpreting in general, as well as specifically,

event. WASLI and WFD offered a shared

when asked about particular countries or

keynote on leadership and collaboration, and it

regions.

was lovely to work with WFD Board members Kaisa Alanne during the week. While at the

For the first time in FIT's sixty-year history, a

conference a number of side meetings were held

keynote was chosen about sign language in sign

with WFD Regional Secretariats from Latin

language. Prof. Jemina Napier provided the

America and Central America, and the WASLI

important keynote using Auslan. The response to

Regional Representative in order to refine

her keynote was powerful, as the

strategies to work collaboratively on a Latin and

delegatesenthusiastically received her message.

Central American agenda. We hope you enjoyed

Our presence provided support to that moment,

seeing the conference highlights on our social

and I was delighted to introduce and thank her

media – thanks to Jose Ednilson and Isabelle

using International Sign, further solidifying the

Heyerick for their work in sharing photos and

importance of signed language to Deaf people.

messages with the rest of the world.

WFD-WASLI also presented about our shared Oceania: It was my honour to represent WASLI

International Sign Accreditation process, which

at the FIT conference held at Brisbane, August

is rigorous and parallels other international

03-05. WASLI signed a MOU with FIT at

processes, for example, the AIIC process for

Istanbul and this FIT conference was an

nominating conference interpreters. Colin and I

opportunity to have that MOU unanimously

then served on a panel about quality assurance

ratified by 50 of their member associations

processes, bring forward international models of

during the Council Meeting that preceded the

accreditation and quality assurance, which was

conference. I brought greetings to FIT and

then contrasted by our regional panellists who

described the benefits to both organizations by

provided both Australian and New Zealand

being strategic partners, such strength in

perspectives.

lobbying on issues like Deaf refugees and access to communication, focusing on the need for

Prior to the conference WASLI consulted on the

professional interpreter teams that include

interpreting services to be used during the

interpreters who are deaf and native sign

conference, requesting NAATI Conference level

language users. Since 2015, WASLI and FIT

Auslan Interpreter and the use of WFD-WASLI

have collaborated with other international NGOs

Accredited Interpreters to work with our use on

such as AIIC, Red T, Critical Link, in order to

our presentation. We were also, through

engage in an Open Letter Campaign designed to

individual and joint networking able to

lobby governments to support interpreters and

demonstrate our knowledge and capacity on

translators in conflict zones. These letters have

signed language and interpreting matters, which

contributed to efforts to have interpreters and

may lead to other consultative processes being

translators released from prison and to ensure

available to us where we can bring together

visas for interpreters who have worked in

signed language interpreting knowledge with

spoken language interpreting.

WASLI Visit to Brazilian University

Europe: September was an opportunity to attend

Three days sharing with SLI in training

the efsli conference in Toulouse, France and to advance our conference planning by meeting

From August 23rd to 25th, the WASLI vice

face-to-face with the WFD Organizing

president, José Ednilson Souza Júnior, visited the

in training, especially in higher education, from

Committee delegates and the representatives

Federal University of Espirito Santo, in the city of

now on, know the professional associations and

from AFILS who are helping to secure a venue

Vitória in Southeast Brazil. During a meeting with

about their activities and struggles. This way they

for our Paris event. Thank you to all efsli board

students and professors of the graduate course in

can participate, collaborate and impact their

for being such wonderful hosts – and a huge

Translation and Sign Language Interpreting, the

community in an early stage of their own career.”.

thank you to Nigel Howard, our WASLI Deaf

vice president shared information about the

Interpreter Advisor, who graciously agreed to be

activities of WASLI and invited everyone to

auctioned off, resulting in sizable funds for the

collaborate with WASLI and to become members

Special Attendance Fund (SAF) program for eflsi next year in Croatia. Congratulations to Aurelia Gassa Gonga for winning the bid to attend the IS workshop in Paris prior to WASLI,

interpreters. Thus, it is important that interpreters

of both our and their local SLI associations. José Ednilson stated: “Brazil undergoes a significant transformation regarding the recognition of sign language, the deaf community and sign language

and the private luncheon with Nigel. And, who knew that Colin Allen was an auctioneer extraordinaire – is there nothing that man cannot do - a great evening for sure!

WASLI and WFD offered the keynote at the ASLI 30 th anniversary conference in London in Sept, which meant that once more Colin and I were able to highlight the results of our organizations collaborating and the benefit to both organizations when modeling the mutual respect and win-win thinking. My thanks to ASLI and especially Robert Skinner, for the hard work that went into planning such a successful event. So many of our WASLI leaders have been part of ASLI, and we continue to benefit for their

After recognition, Peruvian Sign Language is Regulated by the Government August 15, the Peruvian deaf community celebrated the enactment of Supreme Decree No. 006-2017 that regulates Law No. 29535 which recognized the Peruvian Sign Language in 2010.

president of WASLI, José Ednilson Souza Júnior and the Regional Representative, Isabel Rey, gave an interview to LR TV some days before this government anoucement.

The decree assures rights and actions regarding research, education and dissemination of the Peruvian Sign Language. It provides means to provide interpreting services for deaf persons and their supervision. This achievement is the result of a joint effort of the Association of the Deaf of Peru, the Association of Peruvian Sign Language Interpreters and the Peruvian Public Ombudsman, with the support of WASLI. In July 13th, the vice

support, with Rob plotting and scheming and then launching of the WASLI fundraising bike ride from London to Paris! I took the easy route and donated versus riding – which route will you

In January...

take?

As always, I thank each of you for your generous support for me as President and your support of the executive and regional representatives. I thank each of you working as volunteers for WASLI. As we share the work of raising awareness of the profession of interpreting, I hope you will see the value that WASLI brings to your world. Have you renewed your membership? If not, please do and recruit four friends to do the same!

If you have any questions or comments, please e m a i l

m e

a n y

president.wasli@gmail.com.

t i m e

a t

...renew your membership for 2018. http://wasli.org/membership

At Last! Taiwanese Association of Sign Language Interpreters!

ARTICLES

by Will Chin, Leader of International Committee

We have been talking about organizing a professional sign language interpreters association for 20 years! Recently, we noticed that sign language interpreters in many advanced countries are required to organize under professional sign language interpreter associations.

For example: *World Association of Sign Language Interpreters (WASLI) *USA: Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) *Japan: Japanese Association of Sign Language Interpreters (JASLI) *England: Association of Sign Language Interpreters (ASLI) We have been setting up sign language interpreter training programs for many years and have trained many interpreters by Deaf professionals and professional interpreters. But why have we not yet organized a professional sign language interpreters association? We decided to work more and talk less! We recruited deaf professionals and professional interpreters, organized a Preparatory Committee and discussed how to organize the association. We sought out financial resources, meeting rooms, and supporting documents. After extensive discussion, we decided the aim of the “Taiwanese Association of Sign Language Interpreters (TASLI)” should be to bring Taiwanese sign language interpreters into a professional group which better serves the deaf, building a bridge of communication between the deaf and hearing in Taiwan.

We also hired a deaf professional designer, Kevin Hsu, to design the logo for TASLI. Description of Design Two hands holding the earth and forming the

shape of the island of Taiwan. Emerging colors express cooperation and cultural unity between the hearing and the Deaf.

The Association aims to promote the development of sign language interpreting professionalism in Taiwan, to establish sign language interpreting service standards, to improve the sign language interpreting system, to train high-quality sign language interpreters and to support academic research into sign language interpreting in order to enhance its quality and quantity and to advance the rights and welfare of the deaf.

The quality of sign language interpreters in individual communities has been greatly improved through the activities of these local associations.

Organization leads to power. Sign language interpreter association sponsors must include deaf friends and special education teachers all over the country. If you yourself are a sign language interpreter and agree with the goals of the Association, and believe Taiwan needs its own sign language interpreter organization, please join our effort to create a vibrant and powerful association which works to build a better future environment for sign language interpreters in Taiwan.

On March 18th, 2017, bylaws of the association were approved by the first members' meeting. On April 19, these bylaws were verified and made official by Taiwan's Ministry of the Interior. We feel all the hard work was worth it! We have sown many seeds. Now let us bring in the harvest!

50th National Assembly for Research on Sign Language Interpretation: Summer Forum in Hiroshima, Japan

by Etsuko Umemoto, WASLI Asia Representative and Manager of the International Division of NRASLI, Japan

The annual event in summer was co-hosted by the Japanese Federation of the Deaf(JFD) and the National Research Association for Sign Language Interpretation(NRASLI). During three days (August 18 - 20 2017) 1,152 people including interpreters, deaf people and sign language learners gathered in Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture from all over Japan.

On Friday 18th, the forum opened with a 50th anniversary ceremony and we enjoyed the party at night. At the Opening Ceremony, Fujisaburo ISHINO, President of JFD, and Masao WATANABE, President of NRASLI gave welcome speeches.

After that, Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy, Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and also the Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture and the Mayor of Fukuyama City made congratulatory addresses. Some guests signed just CONGRATULATIONS or their names. Others delivered their whole speeches in sign language. We were very happy that we could see the recognition and spread of sign language in Japan.

The forum hosted 4 seminars and 8 workshops and we exchanged ideas in relation to a lot of themes such as SLI systems, local networking, and how to learn and teach SL and train SLIs, etc.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the assembly this year, we

planned a night workshop session in one seminar. As everyone knows, Hiroshima is the first place in the world where the Atomic Bomb was dropped. Now that the survivors are passing away, we set up a special tour to learn about the past and keep the future at peace. We visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, where we listened to Hiroshima Peace Volunteers and watched a testimony DVD by Deaf People so that we all could ponder the preciousness of peace.

Based on the local reports, 8 themes were discussed in workshops during two days, allowing us to deepen or understanding. In each session we had several reports on a wide range of themes such as “Professionalism of a Dispatching Coordinator of SLIs”, “Report from the Survey of Senior Deaf”, “Project for the Disaster Prevention”, “The Activities for Passing the National Test of SLIs”, and much more.

Board members from NRASLI and JFD took on the role of chairpersons and a collaborator in each session.

Two organizations hosted the Forum. We prepared, lead the assembly together, and published the report afterward so that we can make use of what we have learned for future activities. The next Summer forum next year will be held in Okinawa. We are looking forward to it.

IVANA BUCKO

INTERVIEW

President of European Forun of Sign Language Interpretes - EFSLI secretariat@efsli.org - www.efsli.orgsecretariat@efsli.org - www.efsli.org

1. Tell me about your background - how did you become an interpreter? When did you join the efsli board?

I specialized in Graphics Technology and got my Master's Degree in Chemistry Graphics in 1994 in Belgrade. Shortly after, I got a job as vice director of the production division of a printing company. My life changed in 2004 when the City Organization of the Deaf in Belgrade set up a sign language course for the very first time. Their main target audience were children of their members. Being myself the child of a Deaf person, I was invited to their introductory class. Since that moment I have been involved in the sign language world.

I did not realise it immediately but that was a big turn in my life. After a year I decided to quit my job at the printing company. I studied hard and practiced conscientiously in order to become an interpreter. I devoted myself to sign language and the Deaf community. Later, I was employed at the Sign Language Interpreting Service Centre in Belgrade. Having working for years with the Deaf community have helped me to improve my skills, increase my awareness of Deaf people's human rights and I have become an ally fighting for the promotion and recognition of sign language as the native language of Deaf signers as well as for the advancement of the profession of the sign language interpreters in Serbia. Since its establishment, I have been a member of the Association of Serbian Sign Language Interpreters (ATSZJ). I worked in ATSZJ's Executive Board in a 4- year term representing our interests as a PR manager.

Thanks to SAF, efsli's Special Attendance Fund, together with other Serbian colleagues of mine, I was able to participate in some efsli's yearly events. In 2012 I attended my first efsli's Annual General Meeting and in some of Conference as a delegate of my association in Vienna. That year efsli was celebrating its 20th anniversary. That moment is imprinted in my memory as a decisive, life-changing encounter with the efsli family like it happened years before when bumping into sign language.

2. Regarding efsli's accomplishments over the past few years, what are you most pleased about?

After being introduced to the efsli board, first as co-opted vice-president in 2015 and later as elected president in 2016, I have always been lead by the feeling which enveloped me each time I participated in some of efsli's past events. The feeling of mutual understanding, support and belonging, and, on the other hand, the feeling of happiness and positive energy each time efsli members meet. That is exactly what my team and I have tried to promote and sustain through every course, training session, seminar or conference we organized together.

The fact that efsli is, for the first time, headed by a president living in the Balkans has opened the doors to East Europe, a region where interpreters are lacking in number and in professional training. The right of free movement of Deaf people has been supported and promoted by efsli since we aim to have high-quality interpreting services in both regions of Europe. I am delighted that various training courses were held in Serbia and Kosovo this year and the year before. Many interpreters gathered together not only from those East regions, but from Western Europe as well.

Furthermore, we have began to cooperate with the University and Deaf

community of Moscow and with Russian sign language interpreters.

The efsli family is gradually expanding, which is one of the main goals of our teamwork. In 2017, efsli welcomed new members, such as the interpreter associations of Croatia, Bulgaria, Bavaria (Germany) and Kosovo. efsli currently consists of 37 interpreter associations from 28 European countries, 27 associated members and 383 individual members. I believe that we will have the opportunity to welcome some other new members next year too.

3. How do you see WASLI and efsli collaboration working? What things can we do to strengthen our work?

WASLI and efsli have been enjoying mutual respect and understanding for many years. I strongly believe that both associations have a vital role to play in the sign language interpreting field. Nevertheless, practically speaking, our efforts and work have never resulted in joint projects and research. For a new cooperative beginning, the newly elected efsli Board successfully organized a meeting with the WASLI Board in Athens where the efsli conference took place in 2016. All officers of WASLI and efsli reaffirmed the importance of cooperation and mutual support. So far, both WASLI and efsli presidents, together with the representative of WASLI in Europe, have had several meetings, by Skype or live, discussing and finding a topic of common interest in the interpreting field, which would produce a joint project for both of us. The issue of Deaf refugees and immigrants. I am deeply convinced that working together on this very important project will deepen our relations.

4. How will the next European regional representative be chosen for WASLI? Democracy has always been at the heart of efsli. In this spirit of democracy and equality, the next WASLI's European regional representative will be elected by the majority of efsli Full Members at efsli's Annual General Meeting. It is a role of great responsibility, a liason between our organizations. I do expect talented people aware of such a commitment to apply for that position. The efsli Board will exercise the right to nominate a candidate if it considers that person to have the required remarkable qualities and true interest in this important liason position.

5. What is one goal we have to foster in interpreter training that can have an impact on European countries and other regions?

The biggest problem in Europe is accessibility to training, especially in South-East Europe. That means lower quality standards and less awareness and recognition of sign language interpreting as a profession. Interpreters from those countries in need of education also have less opportunities to get funds and participate in trainings, schools or workshops organized somewhere in Western Europe. What we need is to move our focus and work together to implement interpreting programmes at university level in those regions.

6. Where is the best coffee that you have enjoyed in your travels?

The Serbs are well known as a people who very much enjoy good coffee. This was left to us from the Turks who ruled our region for 500

years. The coffee we drink, the so-called "Turkish coffee", is a very strong, black coffee served with a locum. It's very difficult to wake up without having it. I take it with me every time I am travelling abroad. The smell and strong flavour of an Italian coffee is the closest to the taste of the coffee I love and cannot live without.

7. What makes you worried when you think about interpreting as a profession?

I will try to answer this question by keeping in mind the situation we are facing here in my home country. In countries like Serbia, where there is no formal education for sign language interpreters, interpreting services are provided by children of Deaf parents. There is little awareness that their skills and knowledge are not enough to be a professional practitioner.

Furthermore, many countries willing to become members of the European Union formally take actions imposed by European institutions which have no real impact in everyday social life. Thus it may happen that the legal recognition of a sign language is merely a nice word on a piece of paper.

Interpreting service centres employing children of Deaf parents as sign language interpreters are left unattended with no governmental support. Due to the lack of funding, low fees and no possibility to earn a living, many of those employed interpreters are forced to leave the job. My biggest worry is that countries in similar situations will be left adrift with no professional interpreting services and nothing to offer to new generations of potential interpreters.

8. What is your philosophy of leadership?

I believe in hard work to face every-day challenges, no excuse. I have always been guided by the maxims that Great Minds left behind them. Great Socrates once said: “The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear”.

9. Favorite book? Or movie?

There are just a few people who know that I am only half Serbian, and that the other half of me belongs to Russia. This Russian part is very alive in me whenever I hear somebody speak in Russian, heari a Russian song, read their literature and poetry, but also when I watch movies that glorify the Russian tradition, so rich in history and beauty. The movie that I always love to watch is "The Barber of Siberia", a masterpiece by the Russian director Nikita Mikhalkov.

FIT Conference 2017 WFD and WASLI were present in Australia Over 800 delegates convened at the FIT (Fédération Internationale des Traducteurs / International Federation of Translators) Congress 2017. Significant milestones were achieved at this Congress: It marked the first time in FIT's sixty-year history that sign language interpretation had a presence at the Congress – one of the keynotes was about sign language and was presented by Professor Jemina Napier using Auslan.

Secondly, WASLI's MOU with FIT was unanimously ratified by 50 of FIT's member associations, officially reflecting the recognition of sign language as a language and sign language interpretation as a profession in the field.

WASLI President Debra Russell said, “Prior to the ratification, the MOU was already signed at the WASLI Conference 2015 in Istanbul, Turkey. Since then, WASLI and FIT have collaborated with other international nongovernmental organisations such as the International Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC), Red T, Critical Link International, to engage in an Open Letter Campaign designed to lobby governments to support interpreters and translators in conflict zones.”

WFD President Colin Allen and Dr. Russell were in attendance to bring greater visibility to and enhance the credibility of the work of their respective organisations. For example, the joint WFD-WASLI presentation enabled FIT delegates to learn more about the International Sign Accreditation process, which is rigorous and parallels other international processes.

The Congress also highlighted the impact of technological advances and the internet on interpreting and the digital infrastructure for interpretation services. Topics raised included the challenges of maintaining the quality of relay/remote video interpreting services, how Deaf communities and interpreters should respond to the use of avatars to provide interpretation, and addressing the issue of dominant signed languages influencing national signed languages in a hyperconnected world.

WASLI Oceania Conference 2018 Fiji Island will host the regional confence.

WASLI Oceania is excited to announce the dates

providing additional training workshops after

for our very first regional interpreters conference

the conference on the 20th & 21st of August for

in beautiful Fiji from the 17th- 19th August

emerging interpreters from the Pacific Islands.

2018.

We welcome sign language interpreters, Deaf

Prior to this conference we have the honour of

interpreters, international interpreters, the Deaf

hosting the WASLI executive board for their

community, teachers and students. Never before

annual face to face meeting. This will be a

have sign language interpreters come together

fantastic opportunity for Oceania interpreters to

from all over Oceania so we are really excited

meet the board and meet colleagues from around

about this opportunity.

the Pacific.

For interpreters who work in the Pacific Islands,

If you would like to support this conference

many of them have not had any training or

please get in touch with Angela Murray, WASLI

support. This conference aims to bring everyone

Oceania

representative

at

together to share experiences and knowledge, to

austoceania.wasli@gmail.com or look out for

learn from one another and realise that we are not

fundraisers and opportunities to donate on our

alone, no interpreter is an island. We will be

WASLI page or in your local community.

3rd Latin America Sign Language Interpreters Meeting Over 200 participants from 26 countries in the Americas.

Panama City, the capital of The Republic of

Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela.

http://wasli.org/cat_news/panama-declaration.

Panama was the host city of the 3rd Latin

WFD and WASLI were also present at the

It urges stakeholders to work together on

America Sign Language Interpreters Meeting

closing cerimony, during which the «'Panama

monitoring, researching on, and improving the

from 17th to 21th July. The III ELATILS

Declaration» was signed by all SLI Associations

quality of interpretation services. While there the

conference shared information about the

from the region. The agreement between the deaf

WASLI president, Debra Russell and the WFD

collaboration between deaf associations and sign

associations, interpreter associations and

representative, Kaisa Alaine, co-presented on

language interpreters associations, interpreting

WASLI regional association was a significant

leadership traits within the Deaf and interpreter

training, collaboration models, simultaneous

and positive development. The text is at this time

communities that can be developed to strengthen

interpreting from signed to spoken languages and

available in Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese and

the communities.

Deaf Interpreters. We received country reports

English. Whereas there is no signed IS version

The Deaf Association of Cuba (and its SLI

from delegates of Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica,

available yet, we believe members will be

department) will host the 4th Latin American

Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Panamá,

interested

Sign Language Interpreters Meeting in 2021.

in

this

document:

WASLI in Colombia Vice president visit to Barraquilla and From June 23rd to 28th, WASLI Vice President Mr. José Ednilson Júnior visited the cities of Barraquilla and Medellin, Colombia.

In Barraquilla, José Ednilson gave a workshop on Interpretation Services in Higher Education and a presentation about Challenges for Interpreters in the next Decade, during the 1st LSC Interpreter Meeting of the Caribbean.

In Medellin, he gave lectures and workshops to

sign language interpreters and deaf community members from the region. This activity was supported by Compañia Intelesco, Universidad Autónoma Latinoamericana and The National Sign Language Interpreters Association ANISCOL. We congratulate ANISCOL and the former vice president of WASLI, José Luis Brieva on their leadership in organizing this.

Face-to-Face Annual WASLI Board Meeting Prior to the 3rd Latin American SLI Conference, the WASLI board met for two days in Panama City. The full executive board was present and joined by Angela Murray (Oceania Rep.), Etsuko Umemeoto (Asia Rep.), Liz Mendoza (North America Rep.) and Nigel Howard (Deaf Interpreter Advisor).

We had the opportunity to discuss our work and projects for the next few years and receive reports from regional and representatives and departments.

The next WASLI face-to-face Board Meeting will be in Fiji Island in August 2018. Meanwhile the executive board meets monthly via videoconference.

WASLI - How? Why? Who? WASLI is the world association for and of signed language interpreters. In this article we like to present ourselves and share who we are, what we do and what you can do for us.

How? In 1975, during a WFD (World Federation of the Deaf) conference, the idea that an international organization for signed language interpreters was needed, emerged. Both the Deaf community and the signed language interpreters community acknowledged the need to create a global network of signed language interpreters. In collaboration with the international Deaf community – WFD – this organization would aim to reinforce signed language interpreting as a profession.

In 2003 the World Association of Sign Language interpreters was established in Montreal, Canada during the WFD conference.

Why? WASLI as an organization thrives on volunteers (signed language interpreters, both deaf and hearing) and aims to use its global network for the development of the signed language interpreting profession, in collaboration with the Deaf community. Actions entail establishing signed language interpreting associations, facilitating training for signed language interpreters in those regions where there is no training, and offering support to regions where the situation of signed language interpreting associations is precarious. Recently, WASLI and WFD jointly expressed their concern regarding the situation in Finland (more info: https://www.facebook.com/wasli.official/). WASLI also offered advice to the Chilean senate regarding the draft of a new bill, which prohibits deaf people to work as signed language interpreters.

Most of the time WASLI advises and supports regions where help is needed, based on the experience and knowledge the organization gathers through her members.

Who? The most important stakeholders of WASLI are the members.

These are national interpreting associations, individual members (signed language interpreters, people who are not interpreters but

want to support us) and supporting organizations (organizations for deaf people, universities, ngo's). WASLI is able to do what it does, because of their (your!) support. Of course the financial support (the membership fee) is important, however members also support us on another, more practical level. Members can contact us, share information with us, help us disseminate our news all over the world, and work for WASLI as volunteers. Without them WASLI would mean nothing.

WASLI also has an executive board and its current (2015 – 2019) members are the president, Debra Russell (Canada), the vice president, José Junior Ednilson (Brazil), the general secretary, Isabelle Heyerick (Belgium) and the treasurer, Susan Emerson (Australia). WASLI also has a Deaf Interpreter Adviser, Nigel Howard (Canada) and for each region in the world– Africa, Latin America and Caribbean, North-America, Asia, Europe and Oceania a representative (http://wasli.org/regional-representatives).

How about you? Are you WASLI? It is so easy to contribute to WASLI's work and hemp to reinforce our profession on the global level: - like our Facebook page and share our information with your friends https://www.facebook.com/wasli.official/ - follow us on Instagram @w.a.s.l.i - follow us on Twitter @WASLI_tweets - become a member! http://wasli.org/membership/individualmember - donate to WASLI through our PayPal campaign - support the crazy Britains who will ride their bike from London to P a r i s i n o r d e r t o r a i s e f u n d s f o r WA S L I 2 0 1 9 https://gogetfunding.com/guadp-london-to-paris-bike-ride/ And: join us at our next world conference in Paris (15 – 19 July) in Paris.Experience first hand who we are, what we do and what we can accomplish together!

Call for Volunteers TRANSLATORS COORDENATOTOR

WASLI wishes to offer news and information in multiple languages. In that way we are looking for a dedicated coordinator of our volunteer translators who are willing to support our organization. Please contact us if you are willing to serve as a volunteer as the coordinator of the WASLI Translation Department. Send an e-mail to secretary.wasli@gmail.com with your name, your e-mail address, your working language, your level of proficiency in them and your experience in leadership.

EVENTS SPAIN 4th International Conference on Research into the Didactics of Translation Barcelona 20 - 22 June 2018 Website: http://grupsderecerca.uab.cat/pacte FIJI WASLI Oceania Conference Fiji 17 - 19 August, 2018 E-mail: autoceania.wasli@gmail.com BRAZIL 6th National Congress of Research on Sign Language Interpreting FlorianĂłpolis 1st - 5 October 2018 Wensite: http://www.congressotils.com.br FRANCE 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

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); JosĂŠ Ednilson Souza Junior (Vice President); Isabelle Heyerick (Secretary); Susan Emerson (Treasurer) Regional Representatives: Angela Murray(Australasia & Oceania); Natasha Maliko (Africa); Monica Punjabi and Etsuko Umemoto (Asia); Desanka Zizic (Balkans); Isabel Rey (Latin America and Caribbean); Liz Mendoza (North America); Igor Bondarenko & Anna Komarova (Transcaucasia & Central Asia); (Europe); Christopher Stone.

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WASLI VOLUNTEERS Deaf Interpreter Advisor: Nigel Howard WASLI Membership Coordinator: Rebecca Thurrowgood Social Media Coordinator: Suzanne Ehrlich WASLI Translations Coordinators: (vacancy written translations), Christian Rathmann and Arkady Belozovsky (signed translations) Web: Patrick Wiche & Patrick Galasso Newsletter Editor: Open 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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