International Day of Sign Languages
- frontpageinitiative
- Oct 26, 2021
- 2 min read
Introduction
September 23rd marks the International Day of Sign Languages (DSL). This monumental day was created by the United Nations General Assembly to “raise awareness of the importance of sign language in the full realization of the human rights of people who are deaf.” The DSL occupies one out of seven days of the International Week of the Deaf. This week was established back in 1958 and has been celebrated annually ever since, through various activities by Deaf Communities around the globe, as stated by the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD).
The World Federation of the Deaf is among the oldest international organizations of persons with disabilities. The group was founded on September 23rd, 1951, hence, the choice of date for the International Day of Sign Languages. The WFD’s website highlights their vision: the “recognition of sign language in all aspects of life” in addition to several values they wish to uphold, namely; diversity and impartiality.
Themes
Since 2017, when DSL was first declared, each year, there has been a different theme to the celebrated day that strives to raise awareness on more specific areas of improvement society can strive towards. In 2018, the theme was ‘With Sign Language, Everyone is Included’, in 2019, ‘Sign Language Rights for All’, and in 2020, ‘Sign Languages Are for Everyone’.
International Sign Language
Over 300 sign languages are used throughout the world, with American Sign Language (ASL) being the most common one. Each is distinguishable by its structure and relation to its respective spoken and written language. For instance, English as a language has three different variations of sign languages: ASL, British Sign Language, and Australian Sign Language, yet they differ from one another as they are used in different parts of the world.
There is also an International Sign Language which is practiced when sign language users are socializing whilst travelling abroad. According to the United Nations, this language “is considered a pidgin form of sign language that is not as complex” as others, mainly due to the fact that it has a limited lexicon (vocabulary). The significance of this language is salient as it easily bridges the gap between sign language users who reside in different regions, without the use of a translator.
How to Celebrate DSL
Since a major goal of the celebration is to spread awareness on the topic as a whole, by educating yourself on matters such as the large number of sign language users (72 million), you would be able to further spread that knowledge, all in all, benefiting the cause.
Another idea is to host a fundraiser or donate to one. When it comes to fundraisers, there are lots of fun possibilities, for example, a bake sale or a sporting tournament. In addition, there are plenty of charitable organizations that are worth looking into.
Lastly, you could learn sign language! There are plenty of useful online resources available that would enable you to do so. Becoming fluent is not essential; even learning how to greet people in sign language would make a difference and create a more welcoming environment for those in the community!
Sources
Published September 23, 2021
Written by Katherina Pan ~ Edited by Sasha Thomas ~ Graphics created by Fiona Xu
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