International Sign Language Day - 23 September

Tags: Important Days

International Sign Language Day is designated by the United Nations General Assembly and is celebrated on 23 September each year.

An Overview of the News

• The purpose of this day is to raise awareness about the important role of sign language in maintaining the human rights of deaf persons.

• It provides an opportunity to promote and preserve the linguistic and cultural heritage of the Deaf community.

The theme of International Sign Language Day 2023:

• The theme for 2023 is “A World Where Deaf People Everywhere Can Sign Anywhere!”

• This theme underlines the unifying power of sign languages and emphasizes their importance to Deaf communities, governments, and civil society organizations.

History of International Sign Language Day

• International Sign Language Day was established in 2018 by the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD), an organization dedicated to advocating for the human rights of the approximately 70 million deaf people worldwide.

• The WFD consists of 135 national member federations, and they initiated the concept of this special day.

• The day was introduced as a part of a broader celebration known as the International Week of the Deaf.