Damir Cultural Incubator Hosts 45 Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Girls

The Damir Cultural Incubator in Damascus hosted a cultural event today, Monday, aimed at 45 deaf and hard-of-hearing girls, with the goal of introducing them to a range of manual and heritage crafts, the materials used in their production, and the various stages of manufacturing.

The initiative was organized by the "I Have Another Brother" Foundation in collaboration with the "My Language is Sign Language" Association, coinciding with World Audiovisual Heritage Day. The introductory tour included exploring resin art, engraving on leather and wood, copper crafting, and other artisanal trades.

In this context, Wafaa Al-Hindawi, Vice President of the Board of Directors of the "I Have Another Brother" Foundation, told the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) that the choice of the incubator aimed to link heritage with handicrafts and introduce the girls to traditional professions and associated industries. She clarified that the event falls within the foundation's efforts to support girls and encourage them to discover their abilities, noting a tendency to organize other activities that contribute to their support and empowerment in the future.

For her part, sign language interpreter Maysa Barakat explained that the limited availability of introductory content in sign language sometimes poses an obstacle for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in accessing information related to heritage. She added that she interpreted the explanations during the tour, enabling the girls to learn about the use of natural materials such as walnut and lemon tree woods, noting that live observation of the manufacturing stages helped them understand the work mechanisms.

The world celebrates World Audiovisual Heritage Day on October 27 every year, initiated by UNESCO, with the aim of raising awareness about the importance of preserving documents of collective memory for peoples, including films and recordings, and protecting this cultural heritage from damage and loss to ensure its availability for future generations.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)