Department of Translation Theory and Practice Hosts Meeting with Sign Language Interpreter Hasan Israil

On April 10, 2026, doctoral students of the “Translation Studies” educational program met with a well-known Kazakhstani sign language interpreter, Hasan Israil. Hasan Israil is an expert at the “Khabar” and “24KZ” media agencies and a professional sign language interpreter working with news and cultural programs. He is also an active advocate for the rights of people with hearing impairments and consistently promotes the idea of accessible communication in society. During the meeting, the speaker addressed key issues related to the development of sign language in Kazakhstan, emphasizing the need to grant it official status. According to him, sign language is not merely a system of gestures, but a fully-fledged language of communication with its own structure and cultural specificity. He stressed that both the language itself and the work of sign language interpreters deserve respect, recognition, and comprehensive state support. The guest shared his professional experience, spoke about the specifics of translation in the media sphere, and highlighted that sign language interpreting is a востребованным and socially significant field of translation today. The meeting was held in an open dialogue format, arousing great interest among doctoral students and contributing to the expansion of their professional horizons.