Did you know there is an International Day of Sign Languages? The proposal for the day came from the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD), a federation of 135 national associations of deaf people, representing approximately 70 million deaf people’s human rights worldwide. The International Day of Sign Languages was first celebrated in 2018 as part of International Week of the Deaf.
The choice of September 23rd commemorates the date that the WFD was established in 1951. This day marks the beginning of WFD as an advocacy organization and the focus to preserve sign languages and Deaf culture as requirements for the human rights of deaf people.
Video message by Nyle DiMarco, Disability Advocate, on International Day of Sign Languages (September 23rd, 2019).
The theme for 2025 is “No Human Rights Without Sign Language Rights”. There are also daily themes that run from September 22nd – 28th. Each daily theme listed has a description and a video – International Week of Deaf People.
The International Day of Sign Languages is a unique opportunity to support and protect the
linguistic identity and cultural diversity of all deaf people and other sign language users.
There more than 300 different sign languages that are complete and unique languages with their own grammar and vocabulary. Many deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals use sign language as their primary means of communication. The International Day of Sign Languages serves as a platform to celebrate the richness and diversity of sign languages that exist around the world.
How to Recognize the International Day of Sign Languages in the Workplace
· Interpreter: Hire an ASL interpreter for your company’s events or meetings.
· Closed captions: When you send employees video resources and during Zoom meetings, don’t forget to include closed captioning.
· Proper communication: Ensure you are speaking directly to the person and that only one person is talking at once. Also, include notes post-meeting for employees to review post-meeting.
“Every hand has a voice” – A message shared by the World Federation of the Deaf and others to celebrate the power of sign language.