International Day of Sign Languages
September 23, Tuesday
The International Day of Sign Languages is celebrated annually on September 23 and aims to raise awareness of the importance of sign languages in the lives of millions of deaf and hard-of-hearing people worldwide.History of the Holiday
This day was proclaimed in 2017 by the United Nations General Assembly on the initiative of the World Federation of the Deaf, which unites over 130 national deaf associations.
Importance of Sign Languages
Sign languages are the primary means of communication for over 70 million deaf people worldwide. There are about 200 different sign languages, each with its own unique grammatical and lexical features, reflecting the culture and identity of the deaf community.
Goals of the Holiday
The International Day of Sign Languages serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving and developing these languages, as well as the need to ensure equal rights and opportunities for deaf and hard-of-hearing people.
How the Day is Celebrated
On this day, various events are held to raise awareness of the significance of sign languages and their role in the lives of the deaf community. Events include lectures, seminars, exhibitions, and cultural events that reflect the richness and diversity of sign languages.
Significance of the Holiday
While celebrating this day, it is important to remember that sign languages are full-fledged natural languages that play a key role in ensuring equality and inclusion for deaf and hard-of-hearing people.
International Day of Sign Languages in other years
- 2021 September 23, Thursday
- 2022 September 23, Friday
- 2023 September 23, Saturday
- 2024 September 23, Monday
International Day of Sign Languages in other countries
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Algeria
- American Samoa
- Andorra
- Angola
- Anguilla
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Aruba
- Australia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Belize
- Benin
- Bermuda
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Bonaire
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Botswana
- Brazil
- British Virgin Islands
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- CAR
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Cayman Islands
- Chad
- Chile
- China
- Colombia
- Comoros
- Congo
- Cook Islands
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Curacao
- Czech Republic
- DR Congo
- Denmark
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- East Timor
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- El Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Estonia
- Ethiopia
- Falkland Islands
- Faroe Islands
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- French Guiana
- French Polynesia
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Germany
- Ghana
- Gibraltar
- Greece
- Greenland
- Grenada
- Guadeloupe
- Guam
- Guatemala
- Guernsey
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Ireland
- Isle of Man
- Israel
- Italy
- Ivory Coast
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Jersey
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Latvia
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macau
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mali
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Martinique
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Mayotte
- Mexico
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Montserrat
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Nepal
- Netherlands
- New Caledonia
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Nigeria
- North Korea
- North Macedonia
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Norway
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Palau
- Palestine
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Puerto Rico
- Qatar
- Reunion
- Romania
- Russia
- Rwanda
- Saint Helena
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Martin
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Saint-Barthelemy
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Sint Maarten
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- Somalia
- South Africa
- South Korea
- South Sudan
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- St. Pierre and Miquelon
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Swaziland
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Syria
- Taiwan
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Togo
- Tokelau
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Turks and Caicos Islands
- Tuvalu
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- UAE
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Vatican
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
- Wallis and Futuna
- Western Sahara
- Yemen
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe