International Day of Sign Languages 2024: Theme and Background about this Day

Every year on 23 September, the world celebrates the International Day of Sign Languages, a day that aims to raise awareness of the value of sign languages ​​as a fundamental human right for the deaf and hard of hearing communities worldwide. This important day becomes even more significant in 2024 as activists, governments and organizations work to promote greater accessibility, inclusion and respect for linguistic diversity around the world.

What is the background of the International Day of Sign Languages?

The World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) was founded on 23 September 1951 and is closely linked to the International Day of Sign Languages. The organization leads global campaigns to support the rights of deaf people, particularly the ability to communicate through sign languages.

The International Week of the Deaf is held in the last week of September every year. It is the result of the World Federation of the Deaf’s struggle for the recognition of sign languages. Inspired by this, a day dedicated to sign languages ​​was established to raise awareness of deaf issues.

The United Nations mentioned: “The proposal for this International Day came from the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD), which is made up of 135 national associations of deaf people representing the human rights of some 70 million deaf people around the world.”

“Resolution A/RES/72/161 was initiated by the Permanent Mission of Antigua and Barbuda to the United Nations, co-sponsored by 97 UN Member States and adopted by consensus on 19 December 2017. September 23 was chosen to commemorate the founding of the World Federation of the Deaf in 1951. This day marks the birth of an advocacy organization that has one of its main objectives to protect sign language and Deaf culture as a prerequisite for the realization of the human rights of Deaf people,” It added.

The first official International Day of Sign Languages ​​was celebrated on 23 September 2018. This day coincides with the International Week of the Deaf, a tradition that the deaf community has observed since 1958.

The 2018 celebrations included events, discussions and social media campaigns around the world, highlighting the importance of sign language in ensuring inclusion and equal opportunities for the Deaf community.

The United Nations further stated: “International Day of Sign Languages ​​was celebrated for the first time in 2018 as part of International Week of the Deaf.”

International Day of Sign Languages ​​2024: Theme

The 2024 International Day of Sign Languages ​​theme is “Strive for Sign Language Rights”. The theme highlights the importance of advocating for the legal recognition and protection of national sign languages ​​around the world. As part of this year’s celebrations, world leaders, government officials and advocates are encouraged to use national sign languages ​​to promote language and human rights for the Deaf community.

The United Nations mentioned: “In the 2024 celebrations, the world will once again highlight the unity that sign language brings. World leaders and other government officials are invited to sign this year’s theme, “Sign for Sign Language Rights” in their own national sign language.

Overall, the International Day of Sign Languages ​​2024 is a powerful reminder of the importance of inclusion, linguistic diversity and human rights. It is an opportunity to celebrate the rich culture of the Deaf community and to raise awareness of the important role sign languages ​​play in the lives of millions of people around the world.

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