Inclusion was one of the defining aspects of World Youth Day (WYD) Lisbon 2023, which brought forth a difference in the history of the youth encounter by creating new ways of communicating with the aim of including "everyone, everyone, everyone." The audio descriptions at this WYD held in Portugal were something unprecedented. "It was a great achievement," says Filipa Oliveira, coordinator of the Translations Team, which includes Sign Language. The relationship with volunteers also made WYD perceptible to the Deaf community.

In addition to audio descriptions, the Central Events featured interpreters for Portuguese Sign Language and International Sign throughout the week of WYD from August 1st to 6th. The interpretations were transmitted on screens scattered throughout the venues. But what is International Sign, and what distinguishes it from Sign Language? According to Filipa Oliveira, International Sign "is a set of gestures whose purpose is for as many people as possible to understand what is being said, but in gestures that are easily understandable. And that's why it's not a language because it doesn't have the same code. It doesn't have the same rules as a sign language." Just as there are several sign languages, which translate words through different gestures, International Sign turned out to be the solution to make communication more accessible to people from different countries. For example, the Deaf choir Mãos que Cantam ("Singing Hands") created gestures to interpret the music for the WYD Theme Song.

A team from the Sanctuary of Fatima carried out the task of interpreting Portuguese Sign Language. The interpreters created a WhatsApp group, where they were always "exchanging" and "creating gestures" to see the best way to interpret due to being "a very demanding job," says Filipa. "The minutes before the ceremonies or events were seen to be filmed, to correct themselves so that they could also provide the best possible service," she adds, also noting that "the concern to be liturgically competent and to communicate in the most correct way possible" is a defining characteristic of the interpreters from the Sanctuary of Fatima.

The great novelty of the youth encounter was the audio description - only in Portuguese, which was the responsibility of "Accessible," created by Professor Josélia Neves, which arose from the "concern to show those who cannot see" what is being seen and what "is being done," explains Filipa Oliveira. The transmissions were carried out via the radio broadcast, as were the other transmissions of the translations in the five official languages of the youth encounter. The audio

descriptions began about 30 minutes before the events. The performers started by "describing the environment," how the stage looked, and there was even concern for understanding what materials the vestments were made of, reveals Filipa, who also says that the audio descriptors had to move to the Press Center 2 because they could not "describe what they do not see." Filipa also highlights an important factor of this tool: "Audio description never overlaps with anything or anyone, that is, if it is being sung, if something is being said, there is no overlap of information." This is a service that aims to provide "something more" and not to "replace," which is why the audio descriptors began their functions earlier.

In order to make communication even more inclusive, the prayers were also adapted for all those with mental disabilities who cannot understand everything that is said. At the entrance of the events, there were also "tactile aids," "prayers in Braille" to be distributed, which were created so that WYD would be inclusive.

For Filipa, WYD Lisbon 2023 has made a positive impact with regard to inclusion, and she hopes that the integration of audio descriptions in the youth encounter will be "the opening of doors for other WYDs."