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01 September 2021 | Story Rulanzen Martin
As in previous years, the Department of South African Sign Language and Deaf Studies (SASL) – a pioneering force within deaf studies – will embark on a broader campaign to create much-needed awareness of the deaf. 

This year’s #UFSDeafAwarenesscampaign aims to inform and contribute to an inclusive society, not only among the UFS community, but also among the public. The department, together with the Centre for Universal Access and Disability Support, provides exceptional support to the 16 deaf and hard of hearing students at the UFS. 

Jani de Lange, Lecturer in Deaf Studies at the UFS, says the deaf forms part of the diverse South African community – “however, there are still many misconceptions about the deaf world. Therefore, deaf awareness plays an important role in facilitating a bridge between hearing and deaf people”.  

Awareness, duty, and social responsibility collide 

Many of the staff in the department considers themselves part of the deaf community. “They play a major role in educating others through our academic programmes, as well as continuous workshops and short learning programmes,” says De Lange. She continues, saying that by celebrating Deaf Awareness Month, “we are reminded of our role and responsibility towards the deaf.” 

The department also has a long-standing relationship with Mimosa Mall in Bloemfontein, with conversational students displaying their final group projects in the centre of the shopping mall.  Mimosa is also a partner in school-based projects, such as the Bartimea School for the Deaf and Blind in Thaba Nchu. “Every year, the department, together with our student association, Signals, and all interested Sign Language students, visits Bartimea, where we host a variety of activities with the children and also help the school with small maintenance projects. In 2019 – the last time we were able to visit the school – we repainted parts of the Foundation Phase’s playground,” De Lange says.

“We hope that the public will take the time to read about deafness, Sign Language, and the deaf community to understand the exciting traditions of the culture.”  The end goal is to encourage a greater understanding that ‘you do not need hearing to listen’. 

Getting the community involved 

To get people involved in the campaign, the department invites UFS staff to participate in a competition where they can learn how to introduce themselves in SASL. The department is also planning an informal training session for staff and students on 7 September 2021. 


The Department of SASL and Deaf Studies also presents a FREE Introduction to SASL short learning programme. 

→  Click here for more information 


 #UFSDeafAwarenessMonth #DeafAwareness #DeafCommunity

                     


News Archive

Faculty of Theology hosts conference on theology and science
2010-03-25

 
At the conference were, from the left: Prof. Rian Venter, Department of Systematic Theology at the UFS and organiser of the conference; Prof. Isabel Phiri, University of KwaZulu-Natal; Prof. André van Niekerk, Stellenbosch University; Prof. Francois Tolmie, Dean of the Faculty of Theology at the UFS; and Prof. Wentzel van Huyssteen, Princeton, USA.
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs


The Faculty of Theology at the University of the Free State (UFS) presented an interdisciplinary conference with the theme faith, religion and the public university this week.

The conference was preceded by a public lecture: Human Uniqueness? In Search of the Image of God by Prof. Wentzel van Huyssteen of Princeton in the United States of America (USA). In his lecture he asks: What makes humans different from animals? He also discusses the statement: Is there something that science can teach theologians and something that theologians can teach science?

In his lecture Prof. van Huyssteen refers to the prehistoric paintings in, among others, Spain, France and also Mossel Bay in South Africa. According to him these rock paintings shed some interesting light on the nature of humankind. “It seems as if there is a possible religious connotation to these paintings. Among others it becomes clear that man has the ability to ask deeper questions about his existence,” said Prof. van Huyssteen.

This find of prehistoric paintings is also an example of an interdisciplinary search for answers to the question: What makes man different from other species?

The rock art also shows that man sees himself as part of nature. “Being the image of God” has also to do with an awareness of nature and man’s special task therein as image bearer of God,” said Prof. van Huyssteen.

These are interesting perspectives given by other sciences on the nature of man. From the theology the perspective of “man created to the image of God” is added. At this occasion speakers from different disciplines such as law, physics, sociology, philosophy and theology participated in the discussion about the position of religion at a public university.

Other main speakers at this occasion were Prof. Isabel Phiri from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and Prof. Anton van Niekerk from Stellenbosch University.
 

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