The HandsUp Agency in collaboration with the Greek LGBT PwD, created an official and politically correct vocabulary in Greek Sign Language.
You can find more about the action of LGBT AmaA – Greek LGBT PwD on its official website, loatamea.gr.
Check out some of the videos below, and browse the entire Vocabulary Playlist available on YouTube!
The project committee consists of the following:
Georgokostopoulos Christos – born in Thessaloniki – is bilingual and deaf. He initially studied Occupational Therapy at the TEI of Athens (2003) and then at the Pedagogical Department of Elementary Education of the Athens University of Applied Sciences (2010). In 2017, he completed his postgraduate studies with the title “Psychopedagogy of Inclusion: Psychopedagogical Components of Special Educational Needs” at the Department of Preschool Education and Education of AUTH. He is now a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Thessaly with a focus on Applied Linguistics of Sign Languages. He has worked as an Occupational Therapist in various medico-pedagogical and child psychiatric departments. He has also been working as a Greek Sign Language Teacher for the last 18 years.
Tsarsitalidi Elena studied at the Pedagogical Department of Elementary Education of the University of Patra. Since 2010 she has been working as a teacher in primary schools in Attica. Postgraduate Studies in Special Education at Univ. Nicosia. In 2013, she successfully passed the Greek Sign Language Interpreter exam of the GSL Interpreter Association. Since then she has been working as a GSL Interpreter both in the Interpreting Program of OMKE and privately. Since 2019, she has been acting as General Secretary on the Board of Directors of SDENG. Since 2014, she has been collaborating with Athens Pride, covering the artistic part of the event every year.
Giorgos Stathis studied at EKPA and has been working as a professional Greek Sign Language Interpreter since 2013. In 2019 he was elected President of the Association of Greek Sign Language Interpreters, while in 2020 Secretary General of the European Forum of Sign Language Interpreters. He is the founder of the social company HandsUp Agency, the first Sign Language Interpreter agency in Greece. In 2019 he published his first literary book. He works as an interpreter with the Federation of the Deaf of Greece and the National Foundation of the Deaf, he is one of the contracted Interpreters of the Ministry of Digital Governance, for the needs of the Briefing of political editors by the Government representative, while he presents the special news bulletin in Sign Language on the Ant1 television station.
Kaia-Kagiopoulou Manuella has been a Greek Sign Language Interpreter since 2014. In 2019 she was elected a member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Interpreters GSL. As a graduate of the Department of Psychology of EKPA and holder of a Master’s degree in School Psychology, she works in Special Schools and Private Special Education Centers. She works as an interpreter with the Federation of the Deaf of Greece. At the same time, she has cooperated with numerous institutions and organizations, such as the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Tourism, the General Secretariat of Sports, ERT 2- Educational Television, TEDx Athens, TEDx Kids, Athens Comedy Festival, ILGA Europe and Athens Pride, in which she interprets the artistic events since 2015. She has undertaken interpretations in political speeches, conferences, and seminars on various topics, in Higher and Technical Educational Institutions.
Stamatina Dritsa is a Secondary Education teacher, and a graduate of the Faculty of Philosophy of EKPA, specifically the Department of Philosophy, Pedagogy, and Psychology. He teaches Greek Sign Language at the SMIYL school and is a certified member of the Association of Greek Sign Language Teachers. He has participated in many seminars in Special Education, Sign Language in Greece and abroad. She has volunteered as secretary of the Youth Committee of the “Panhellenic Union of the Deaf” (P.E.K.) for two years and as a team leader at the 1st European Children’s Camping in Sicily, Italy. She has also taken part in the theater groups “Theater of the Deaf of Greece” and “Epafi/30” and in the choir with the Special High School of the Deaf and Deaf of Thessaloniki. She is responsible for the Committee of Deaf/Hard of Hearing Educators of the Hellenic Deaf Federation (O.K.E.) and is an active member of the deaf community.
Spyros Kouzelis was born and raised in Agrinio. He studied Psychology at the Philosophy School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, while his postgraduate studies concern European Youth, Education, and Culture Policies at the Department of International and European Studies of the University of Macedonia. He has been working as a Greek Sign Language Interpreter since 2005. He runs his own Greek Sign Language school in the center of Thessaloniki (Smiyl). He has worked for 7 consecutive years at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in the Social Policy and Health Committee while he has also worked in several European programs creating accessible environments and services.
Giorgos Androudis, a graduate of the Panorama Special School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, studied Accounting at A.T.E.I. Thessaloniki. In 1995 he started teaching and in 2003 he was certified as a Greek Sign Language teacher. at EPEAEK II of the University of Patras. A year later he served for two terms as President of E.K.V.E. He has been the general advisor of OMKE, Director of OMKE schools. and of the E.K.V.E., and teacher of GSL at the National Deaf Foundation of Thessaloniki. He collaborates with Ph.D. Ms. Sapundzakis Galini in Linguistics GSL at the University of Volos, while participating for a number of years as an evaluator in the GSL Proficiency and Interpretation exams. He is a founding member and President of the Association of Teachers of Greek Sign Language. In 2011 he founded the K.E.N.G. “Expression” and since then he directs and teaches in it, continuing his intense social activity in the Community.
Thaleia Kioussi is a graduate of the Department of Philosophy, Pedagogy, and Psychology of EKPA with training in Special Education and Vocational Rehabilitation and Social Integration of People with Disabilities. She trains attendants for wheelchair users, she is an escort for people with visual impairments, and a trained interpreter of Greek Sign Language. Her experience is oriented towards independent living and supporting disabled people. She works as a Corporate Programs Manager of AMKE ‘Me Alla Matia’ as well as an Accessibility Consultant.
Supported by
The Action is implemented within the framework of the “Simeia Stirixis” program, which is co-financed by the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, the TIMA Public Benefit Foundation, the Hellenic Hope Charitable Organization, the Captain Vassilis and Carmen Konstantakopoulos Foundation, the A. G. Leventis Foundation, the Foundation A.K. Laskaridis, the Costas M. Lemos Foundation and the Bodossaki Foundation.
