International Week of the Deaf is an initiative of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) and was first launched in 1958. It is celebrated annually by the world’s Deaf Community on the last week of September to commemorate the same month the first World Congress of the WFD was held.
International Week of the Deaf is observed through various activities by Deaf Communities worldwide. It aims to promote human rights for deaf people, provide a platform for them to tell their stories and have their voices heard.
The theme of the 2020 International Week of the Deaf is “Reaffirming Deaf People’s Human Rights”. This year, the WFD wants all stakeholders to unite in support of the need to secure and promote the human rights of deaf people.
The middle of the International Week of the Deaf, Wednesday 23 September 2020, is an important day as it is International Day of Sign Languages (IDSL) and its main theme is “Sign Languages Are for Everyone!”
The dates and corresponding themes are as follows:
- Monday, 21 September Sign Languages
- Tuesday, 22 September Inclusive Sign Language Environments
- Wednesday, 23 September International Day of Sign Languages – Sign Languages Are For Everyone!
- Thursday, 24 September The Legal Recognition of National Sign Languages
- Friday, 25 September Equal Opportunities for All Deaf People
- Saturday, 26 September Deaf Leadership
- Sunday, 27 September I Sign For Human Rights!
UN International Day of Sign Languages (IDSL) website is: https://www.un.org/en/events/signlanguagesday/
World Federation of the Deaf
The WFD promotes awareness of human rights and sign language by hosting a variety of events around the globe. We also encourage our members to host and attend community events.