It's September 23rd, International Sign Language Day. The United Nations instituted this event in 2018 to commemorate the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD)’s founding in 1951. The objective is to raise awareness of sign languages and deaf culture and to promote the acceptance of sign languages as deaf people’s basic human rights. The event has grown into a global movement to resolve the many issues deaf people face in their everyday lives and is celebrated through various activities by respective Deaf Communities worldwide.
These activities call for participation and involvement of various stakeholders including families, peers, governmental bodies, professional sign language interpreters, Disabled People’s Organizations (DPOs), and concerned people all over the globe. All of us are invited to unite in endorsement of the need to secure and promote the human rights of deaf people. Please affirm your support for full human rights for all deaf people by signing the WFD Charter on Sign Language Rights for All at https://wfdeaf.org/charter.
Sign languages are visual languages that transmit messages. The 72 million deaf people on our planet use over 300 distinct natural sign languages, although there is also an international sign language that deaf people use when mingling, traveling, and attending international meetings. The international sign language is considered to be a pidgin form because it isn't as complex as the natural sign languages and has a limited lexicon.
Sign languages have been used by deaf people throughout history. Plato’s “Cratylus,” published in the 15th century BCE, has one of the oldest recorded accounts of sign language. Socrates also commented on the utility of sign languages: “If we didn’t have a voice or a tongue and wanted to communicate with one another, wouldn’t we try to make signals by moving our hands, heads, and the rest of our bodies?” Naturally. ☮️ Peace… Jamiese of Pixoplanet
