Last Friday, we hosted an exciting event called the Pancake Project Showcase at the Meeting Place. This special event was organized in collaboration with the Deaf People Association Malta and supported by CORE GREEN: organic + fairtrade. During the event, we showcased the project’s Intellectual Outputs with the aim of improving the inclusion of the Deaf community in accessing nature and with the design of inclusive public spaces. We had a chance to review the official signs created for each one. We took this opportunity to present the outcomes of the project, including the official signs we created for each aspect.
Let’s take a moment to revisit the main objectives of this project. The Pancake Project aims to make sure that the Deaf community can also enjoy nature and learn more about plants. We want to create inclusive public spaces where everyone feels comfortable. To achieve these goals, we have taken five important actions.
The first action involves creating a guide that explains how to design spaces that are inclusive for everyone, including the Deaf community. This guide will be a valuable resource for architects and designers to ensure that public spaces are accessible to people with diverse needs.
In addition, we have produced ten educational videos available in four sign languages. These videos provide important knowledge about nature, environmental conservation, and sustainable practices specifically tailored for the Deaf community. Making educational content available in sign languages is an important step towards breaking down barriers and ensuring equal access to information.
To bridge the gap between the Deaf community and nature, we have developed a set of twenty-five signs for common wild plants. These signs have been carefully created in collaboration with Deaf individuals from Malta, Italy, Spain, and the UK, ensuring that they are culturally and linguistically relevant. These new signs will help interpreters, teachers, and botanists communicate better with the Deaf community, allowing for their participation in various activities and the sharing of knowledge.
Building on this, we will also create twenty-five videos showcasing the newly developed signs in English, Maltese, Spanish, and Italian. These videos will have subtitles in multiple languages, making them accessible to a wide range of individuals and promoting inclusivity and understanding.
The Pancake Project, also known as Plants and Nature Conveying Augmented Knowledge for Everyone, is an exceptional initiative that demonstrates the power of collaboration and inclusivity. By working closely with the Deaf community and valuing their unique insights, the project aims to create a comprehensive set of signs for plant species that were not previously represented in sign languages. These signs will be valuable tools for interpreters, teachers, and botanists. Moreover, they will enable the Deaf community to connect with nature in meaningful ways, fostering a sense of belonging and appreciation for the environment.
Through the Pancake Project, we witness the positive impact that environmental NGOs can have on society. By promoting inclusivity, breaking down barriers, and increasing our understanding of the natural world, this initiative is paving the way for a more harmonious and fair future. The project’s commitment to creating inclusive signs and sharing knowledge showcases the immense potential of collaboration to bring about positive change.
About Project PANCAKE:
As part of the Project PANCAKE (Plants and Nature Conveying Augmented Knowledge for Everyone) we are looking at a number of plant species chosen together with the deaf communities in Malta, Italy, Spain and UK to create new signs for plants which until now had never been described in sign language.
Plants and Nature Conveying Augmented Knowledge for Everyone
