Princess Lalla Asmaa chairs MoU signing ceremony between Lalla Asmaa Foundation & Gallaudet University in Washington
Princess Lalla Asmaa, President of the Lalla Asmaa Foundation, on Friday visited Washington’s Gallaudet University, the only institution worldwide solely dedicated to the education of the deaf and hard of hearing from early childhood up to PhD level.
The visit highlighted by the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Gallaudet University and the Lalla Asmaa Foundation, which reflects the Princess’s firm and steadfast commitment to improving the livelihoods of deaf and hard-of-hearing children in Morocco, through providing an educational environment that respects their uniqueness, while guaranteeing their full integration into society.
The MoU signing ceremony, chaired by Princess Lalla Asmaa, was held at the National Deaf Life Museum. The document was inked by the Foundation’s Deputy President Karim Essakalli and President of Gallaudet University Roberta Cordano.
Speaking on the occasion, Essakalli emphasized that the Lalla Asmaa Foundation has endeavored for over fifty years to ensure access of deaf children to a dignified education, to acknowledge their language and culture, as well as to specialized, affordable and sustainable care.
This visit to Gallaudet University paves the way for a very large-scale project to create the first university in Africa and the Middle East entirely dedicated to deaf people and deaf-related professions, Essakalli said.
The projected university in Morocco will be fully dedicated to the education of deaf and hard of-hearing children, providing a complete educational pathway, from early childhood to doctoral studies.
Essakalli added that this project is part of a wider dynamic promoted by King Mohammed VI, aimed at building an inclusive society, where everyone, regardless of any difference, can learn, evolve, thrive and contribute fully to the development of society.
President of the University Roberta Cordano, on her part, affirmed that this MoU is a statement of mutual respect and recognition, and embodies “our shared commitment to promoting a future of excellence in deaf education in Morocco.”
She also emphasized that the University is honored to be at the Foundation’s side at this historic and auspicious time, particularly with the visit of Princess Lalla Asmaa.
Based on trust and shared values, the relationship between the University and the Foundation highlights the Kingdom’s rich heritage and inclusive vision, while drawing on Gallaudet’s global experience and expertise, said Cordano.
Before the MoU signing ceremony, Princess Lalla Asmaa toured the university, visited a classroom at the Sorenson Leaving Center, learned about students’ academic projects and the quality of teaching at this university, which offers a range of educational and scientific programs adapted to the needs of deaf people.
At the Sorenson Leaving Center, she also visited the Motion Light Lab, a unique space that utilizes innovative methods and a blend of sign language and visual aids to support the cognitive and linguistic growth of children.
Princess Lalla Asmaa then visited the Student Academic Center, which provides facilities adapted to the specific needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing students, including technological tools such as the Communication Access Realtime Translation system.
She afterwards explored the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center at Gallaudet University, a center of excellence with educational programs adapted to deaf and hard-of-hearing children, from pre-school up to high school.
Princess Lalla Asmaa also attended a teaching session of young deaf children, accompanied by their parents. It was an opportunity to discover the “Family Learning” approach, which educates parents to be active partners in their children’s linguistic and social development.
Two Moroccan students are attending Gallaudet University, namely Zahra Ketoun, a PhD student, and Zakaria El Kantaoui, an undergraduate and alumnus of the Lalla Asmaa Foundation.