International Day of Sign Languages - ‘Sign Languages Are for Everyone!'
Today is the International Day of Sign Languages and this year’s theme is ‘Sign Languages Are for Everyone!’ IDSL aims to support and protect the linguistic identity of Sign Language.
Today 23rd September is the 3rd day of the International Week of the Deaf. IWD has been celebrated by the Deaf community for years in the last week of September since 1958. Today 23rd September is International Day of Sign languages (IDSL). IWD is a celebration by the Deaf Community and IDSL is celebrated to create awareness. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on 17th December 2017, recognised that every year 23rd September would be celebrated as the International Day of Sign Languages. Similarly in India there are languages such as Hindi, Marathi in Maharashtra and each state has their own language. At workplaces, colleges, universities, schools, etc. students are taught in their respective languages. Hindi day is celebrated on 14th September 2020 and people celebrate it by hosting Hindi elocution, stories, essays, singing and other competitions. On this awareness is raised about preserving the culture of the Hindi language. Similarly Marathi Diwas is celebrated on 27th February. Marathi Diwas is celebrated by hosting essay writing, jokes and conversing in Marathi to preserve the Marathi language. Such celebrations are held across India.
On 23rd September IDSL we celebrate the National Sign Language of India which is Indian Sign Language. People use sign language to share stories, jokes, there are competitions and many activities. Hearing individuals are taught to create awareness. These are done across the world. This year’s theme for IDSL is ‘Sign Languages are for Everyone!” By everyone it means families, hearing individuals, colleagues, children, childhood friends. Everyone can use and learn Sign Language and remain united. According to the WFD, there are approximately 70 million Deaf people in the world and they use more than 200 different Sign Languages. IDSL is celebrated by teaching hearing individuals, hosting competitions, etc. This will emphasize the importance of Sign Language to the Deaf Community. It will automatically lead to the understanding that it is a Deaf person's Human Right. Sign Language has its own beautiful grammar just like spoken languages like Hindi, English, German, French, etc.
On this day let's celebrate our beautiful sign language by sharing and teaching the use of Sign Language among our friends, families and colleagues. Remember when you teach Sign Language to hearing individuals, do not teach them finger spelling. Finger spelling is not complete Sign Language. They are tools to aid communication when the signs for certain words are not known. Through Sign Language one can have complete conversations like "Hello', "What's your name?", "I stay far away.", etc. Share stories and jokes in Sign Language, then hearing individuals will understand. Enjoy celebrating the day of Sign Languages.
