bp, on behalf of its co-venturers in the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli, Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, Shah Deniz, and South Caucasus Pipeline projects – SOCAR, TPAO, LUKOIL, SGC, NICO, MOL, INPEX, ExxonMobil, ITOCHU, ONGC Videsh, Eni, MVM, and TotalEnergies – announced the successful completion of a social investment project aimed at promoting inclusivity by enhancing communication with and among individuals with hearing and speech impairments.
The project was implemented in collaboration with Nar and ADA University.
The initiative reflects bp’s and its co-venturers’ ongoing commitment to fostering an inclusive society and supporting the broader educational development in Azerbaijan.
The project focused on the development of a new mobile application designed as an accessible and interactive platform for learning Azerbaijani sign language. Based on a pedagogical approach, the application goes far beyond a basic dictionary, offering structured lessons, interactive exercises, quizzes and assessments that ensure comprehensive language acquisition.
The newly launched application functions as an intuitive user interface tailored for Azerbaijani speakers. It includes 789 ready-to-use videos, 358 sign language words and 27 illustrative images, specifically developed as project materials to ensure an engaging and effective learning experience. This content not only helps users build their sign language vocabulary but also enables them to practice real-life communication scenarios through visual and interactive tools.
The mobile application will be available for download on major app platforms.
Addressing the event held today at ADA University to celebrate the successful completion of the project, Bakhtiyar Aslanbayli, bp’s vice president for the Caspian region, said: “True inclusivity begins with communication. By supporting the development of this mobile app, bp and its co-venturers together with Nar and ADA University aim to contribute to building a society where everyone has the opportunity to be heard and understood. This project is not just about an innovative educational tool - it’s about creating opportunities for understanding, empathy, and connection. We believe that every person should be provided with suitable tools to feel like a full member of society. By fostering inclusion, equal access and equal opportunities, this project aims to support efforts to that end.”
The project was completed over a period of 12 months, with bp and its co-venturers’ contribution being around 117,000 AZN ($68,824). This covers the cost of all phases of the initiative, including data collection, consultations with sign language experts, design, development and testing of the application, as well as deployment to app stores and cloud hosting services.
The project was implemented by ADA University and the ADA University Foundation.
