NOTE. On this page, every club can highlight concise presentations of members, projects or project partners. If permitted by the people in question, it is possible to share these presentations in social media, too, e.g. on the club’s own Fb page. It’s always advisable to use pictures!

E.g. these themes could be presented:

• Why I’m a Rotarian
• In Australia everything was different. Teemu, an exchange student, returned being another man
• Taru takes good care of club finances
• A point of view written about a news theme. Theater Totti is an example from a couple of years back: if emphasizing some other aspects, it could also be used for ”What we do/Club projects”. But here we put more emphasis on factors promoting accessibility.

Model text:

Theatre Totti Performs in Sign Language

Murder Mystery Was Interpreted into Spoken Language

In Seinäjoki, 7 September, Theater Totti performed the murder mystery ”Mrs Rozen’s Secret” in sign language. The performance offered an interesting experience for both sign language speakers and hearing audience, because the theatrical performance in sign language was interpreted into spoken language. The performance drew a full audience to the 100-seat Eskoo multipurpose hall.

Most performances by Theatre Totti are accessible. In this case, the performance was interpreted into spoken language. On stage, the actors used sign language, but everything was also spoken aloud. The performance was accessible to all, regardless of disability, lack of it, age and gender.

A Touch of Ostrobothnia On Stage

Born in Nurmo, Ostrobothnia, Liisa Kauppinen is one of Theatre Totti actors. She was the first Finn to receive the UN Prize in the Field of Human Rights in 2013.

People using sign language see and experience the world as representatives of minority languages, not as handicapped people. They rather compare themselves with e.g. the Swedish speaking minority in Finland than with any disabled group.

Theatre Totti came to Seinäjoki at the initiative of RC Lakeuden Rotaryklubi. The regional employee of the Finnish Association of the Deaf was satisfied with the fact that an accessible performance could be arranged.

-This was a great deed. Sign language people can only seldom enjoy culture in their own language here in Ostrobothnia, Kallio says proudly.

In order to finance this theatre visit, our club organised a charity concert in the spring. In addition to RC Lakeuden Rotaryklubi, the organisers included the Parish of Seinäjoki, the Finnish Association of the Deaf, Ilmajoki Music Festival, RC Ilmajoki, and Tuki- ja osaamiskeskus Eskoo (Eskoo Support and Knowhow Centre). The funds were donated via Seinäjoki parish social work department for the realisation of the theatrical performance. The autumn performance was also supported by the cultural department of the town of Seinäjoki, LocalTapiola Insurance Company, the Association of Kalevala Ladies, and S-Market Lehtinen.