Internatonal Day of Sign Languages 23rd September 2023

International Day of Sign Languages 23rd September 2023 -

International Day of Sign Languages is celebrated annually across the world on 23 September every year along with International Week of the Deaf.

The Day is a unique opportunity to support and protect the linguistic identity and cultural diversity of all deaf people and other sign language users. 

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. During the day of the International Day of Sign Languages, the world will once again highlight the unity generated by our sign languages. Deaf communities, governments and civil society organisations maintain their collective efforts - hand in hand - in fostering, promoting and recognising national sign languages as part of their countries’ vibrant and diverse linguistic landscapes. 

The choice of 23 September commemorates the date that the WFD was established in 1951. This day marks the birth of an advocacy organisation, which has as one of its main goals, the preservation of sign languages and Deaf culture as pre-requisites to the realisation of the human rights of deaf people.

The International Day of Sign Languages was first celebrated in 2018 as part of the International Week of the Deaf.

The International Week of the Deaf was first celebrated in September 1958 and has since evolved into a global movement of Deaf unity and concerted advocacy to raise awareness of the issues deaf people face in their everyday lives.

International days and weeks are occasions to educate the public on issues of concern, to mobilize political will and resources to address global problems, and to celebrate and reinforce achievements of humanity. The existence of international days predates the establishment of the United Nations, but the UN has embraced them as a powerful advocacy tool.

Source: Reach & Connect United Nations WF Deaf