A movement to make sign language a human right
Along with International Week of the Deaf
The International Day of Sign Languages is celebrated annually on September 23 and it also marks the start of the International Week of the Deaf.
This date was decided because World Federation of the Deaf was established on September 23, 1951.
Raising awareness
Established by the World Health Organization, this day is celebrated every year to raise more awareness about the importance of learning sign languages to make sure people with impaired hearing are able to express their thoughts and get fair chances.
From 2018 to forever
This day was celebrated for the first time in 2018. Several people started coming forward to show their support and help people with impaired hearing. Since then, the community has grown to nearly 135 organisations around the world
We Sign For Human Rights
This year’s theme by World Federation of the Deaf is "We Sign For Human Rights". The community wants to focus on promoting "the recognition of our right to use sign languages in all areas of life"
This year, the United Nations is hoping to spread awareness that it is important for deaf people to be able to help others, and have proper access to human rights.
Photo credit: United Nations
Different types of sign languages
There are more than 70 million people around the world who are deaf but almost every country uses different kind of sign language such as American Sign Language (ASL), French Sign Language (FSL), Mexican Sign Language (MSL), Arabic Sign Language, and many more.
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