The project will be conducted from 01/11/2014 to 31/03/2016 and has been supported by the decision No. 2014-3361/001-001 of the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency within the framework of Europe for Citizens Programme. The Viribus Unitis is a leading organization in that project. There are also three other partners involved in the project:

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT

A better understanding of the EU as well as improving social and democratic citizen involvement within the UE not only does require requires raising awareness but also overcoming natural barriers that stand in the way of achieving these goals.

Deaf, in their own countries, have a many problems with administration , education, legislative or social life by communication problems. The degree of this difficulty increases at international contacts, even among the deaf. The awareness of the EU objectives, this group of people's participation in social and political life in their own country is, at the moment, almost impossible.

The project will:

Bring together the representatives of the Deaf of the countries of the region, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and give them opportunity to cooperate;

Gather opinions on local, national and environmental barriers after familiarizing the deaf with EU issues through panel discussions, workshops, surveys, focus research, strategic sessions conducted within people with hearing loss and their environment (family, teachers, interpreters, therapists);

Provide the analysis of the legal status of national and EU, allowing an easy participation of the society of the Deaf in the democratic and social life;

Initiate the implementation of tools that overcome some barriers– SignWriting as a transnational language of the Deaf, e-translations, portals and applications;

Train a group of Volunteer Deaf Leaders and establish the idea of volunteering among the Deaf as the best way to intensify the participation of this environment in EU society;

Provide a final report analyzing the state of consciousness and activity of the hearing impaired to participate in democratic engagement at the EU level and a description of the project developed recommendations, actions and joint ventures aimed at improving the awareness and involvement of the democratic life of the Deaf, not only in their own countries but also at the EU level.

For more information please visit the project's website and in the final report.