European Sign Language Centre

In March of 2009 we managed to pull off a gigantic official launch of Spreadthesign in Stockholm. Her Majesty the Queen, Queen Silvia of Sweden anounced our website launched and the Ministry of Education and Science was the official host for the event.

Among the guests were the Minister of Culture and the 10 ambadsadors for the partner countries as well as our partners, of course, and other VIP-guests. Full media coverage made the website to temporary brake down before lunch – but that was quickly fixed by our webmaster.

We were working long days in Paris, in March of 2009. We also had the great pleasure of visiting the world’s first free school for the deaf, open to the public – Institut National de Jeunes Sourds de Paris (INJS), founded in 1760. Great experience for all of us!

Lucky us! In October of 2008 we managed to get a second EU project funded. Now we also added France, Germany and Turkey to our kick off in Lokabrunn, Sweden. The goal was set for more than 4000 signs per country. Our partner from the UK made an extra effort to join – cheers!

In July of 2008 we had a final meeting at the University in Porto, Portugal. We had a big media conference and the Portuguese team took well care of us all. And now we all know what Bacalhau is!

This was back in the days! When we had a meeting in the UK in March of 2008 we met at the Doncaster Deaf Trust – School for the deaf and Communication Specialist College (also with Little Learners – Day Nursery and Children’s Homes) Wonderful England!

This is from October 2007 in Kaunas Lithuania. During this project, the first two years, we did 1200 words per country for the dictinoary. The categories back then were only ‘wood work’ and ‘restaurants’ – 600 signs in each category. That was the start of spreadthesign!

In June of 2007 we went to Madrid for a meeting!
We also had a stand at the WDF conference. We had a fantastic time! In Madrid we also had the chance to visit the deaf school Ponce de León.

Do you remember when we needed a sign for Spreadthesign? We had a meeting at the deaf school in Hradec Kralowe in Czech Republic in February 2007. Our deaf colleges from each country gathered in one room. 15 minutes later an appropriate sign was invented! The only sign we have ever invented ourselves.

This is how we first met in October 2006 at Tullängsskolan in Örebro, Sweden. Six countries and most of us new to each other. The “ice” was already “broken”. All wanted to do this! To create the largest sign language dictionary in the world.

Dedicated partner countries and staff were building a functional beta website which was operational in December 2006. It was just a few words/signs of course, but it was a start. Those were the days when we could have a full partner meeting in just a small room… nowadays we need more space!