International Day of

Sign Language Sign languages (also known as signed languages) are languages that use the visual-manual modality to convey meaning, instead of spoken words. Sign languages are expressed through manual articulation in combination with non-manual markers. Sign l ...

s (IDSL) is celebrated annually across the world on 23 September every year along with

International Week of the Deaf International Week of the Deaf (IWDeaf) is celebrated annually across the world during the last full week of September since 2009. In 2018, it was celebrated together with the official International Day of Sign Languages, declared by the United N ...

. The choice of 23 September is the same date that the

World Federation of the Deaf The World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) is an international non-governmental organization that acts as a peak body for national associations of Deaf people, with a focus on Deaf people who use sign language and their family and friends. WFD aims ...

was established in 1951.

Themes

* 2018: ''With Sign Language, Everyone is Included!'' * 2019: ''Sign Language Rights for All!'' *2020: ''Sign Languages Are for Everyone!'' * 2021: ''We Sign for Human Rights!'' * 2022: ''Sign Languages Unite Us!'' * 2023: ''A World Where Deaf People Everywhere Can Sign Anywhere!''

References

{{Reflist Sign language Deaf culture United Nations language days September observances Disability observances