Deafness is one of the most difficult forms of disability according to the World Health Organization classification, often pushing people to the edge of society. Despite the fact that the deaf have constitutionally guaranteed equal rights in Slovenia, the practice of the right to cultural goods is sadly often a challenge. All that deaf people in Slovenia want is to have equal access to the content that is now exclusively available only to the hearing. Every year more than 6000 theatre performances are created in Slovenia, but none of them are understandable to the deaf. The Theatre Interpreter is an initiative resulting in reducing inequalities for the deaf in modern society. It provides a relevant solution for the deaf that for the first time in Slovenia get equal access to theatre.

To address this issue and provide a permanent solution, NLB Bank – the biggest Slovene bank inclusive towards all Slovenes – in cooperation with the Association of the deaf and Slovene theatres introduces: The Theatre Interpreter. An initiative that enables sign language experts and actors in one to interpret the storylines and dialogs, allowing deaf visitors to attend the most popular theatre plays in Slovenia, before available only to the hearing audience. Theatre interpreters receive a specific spot on the actual stage and become a regular part of theatre performances. Thus, allowing the deaf to enjoy the theatre plays simultaneously with the hearing audience on a regular basis.

NLB bank, the biggest Slovene bank, has been state-owned until November 2018. This drastically harmed its reputation due to political scandals and mischiefs. Last year the bad media publicity (44 % of all media reports were extremely negative) resulted in the worst public perception of the bank in all its history. At the end of 2018 the bank was privatised. To regain its reputation, it set a new strategy of having a positive impact on society through innovative products and services – and through creating positive, socially relevant stories. The Theatre Interpreter is the first of such projects, specifically aimed towards integrating the deaf into the hearing society. The initiative has two main goals: (1) to make it possible for the deaf to attend theatre performances on regular basis (until now an exclusive privilege of the hearing); (2) to increase the number of favourable media coverage for at least 20%.

To meet the ambitious objectives of the project with zero media budget, we first presented the Theatre Interpreter initiative to the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Mr. Borut Pahor, who immediately gave it his honorary support. From the very launch of the initiative (April 12th 2019), the interpreted theatre plays and the project itself were massively covered and praised by all major national and local media (radio, print, online) resulting in tremendous growth of NLB banks’ positive publications. The initiative has a constant support on the NLB banks’ social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, …) and through owned channels of the partnering theatres, as well as the National Association of the deaf and hearing impaired.

The initiative immediately receives massive support from the public, the media and even an honorary support of the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Mr. Borut Pahor. Above all, it gets a deep appreciation from the deaf that finally feel genuinely included in the hearing world. In under a month (launch: April 12th 2019), more than 10 % of all deaf Slovenes already visited the most prominent theatre plays all around Slovenia, with the projection of 40 % of all the deaf visiting theatres by the end of the year. In less than 3 weeks NLB Bank (enabling the initiative) achieved a 100 % growth of positive media coverage in online, print, radio and electronic media. Most publications portrayed the bank as socially responsible and innovative, which substantially contributed to the improvement of the banks’ overall brand perception beforehand oftentimes unfairly dismantled by political affairs during times of government ownership.