International Day of Sign Languages 2024: Date, History, Theme and More

The International Day of Sign Languages will be celebrated today, 23 September. The UN General Assembly has proclaimed 23 September as the International Day of Sign Languages to raise awareness of the importance of sign language in the full realisation of the human rights of people who are deaf. According to the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD), there are more than 70 million deaf people worldwide, with over 80% living in developing countries. Collectively, they use more than 300 different sign languages. "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," states the United Nations on its website.

International Day of Sign Languages 2024: ThemeThe theme for 2024 is "Sign Up for Sign Language Rights." The celebrations will focus on the unity generated by sign languages. International Day of Sign Languages 2024: Significance and HistoryThe resolution establishing the day acknowledges that early access to sign language and services in sign language, including quality education available in sign language, is vital to the growth and development of the deaf individual and critical to the achievement of the internationally agreed development goals, states the United Nations.The day dedicated to sign languages was proposed by the WFD. The date of the establishment of the WFD was chosen as the day. "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 prerequisites for the realisation of the human rights of deaf people," states the United Nations.