International Day of Sign Language 2020: Importance, Observation

Sign Language Day: Do you know? According to the World Federation of the Deaf, there are approximately 72 million deaf people worldwide. More than 80% of them live in developing countries. Collectively, they use more than 300 different sign languages. So, today is International Sign Language Day or International Deaf day for supporting and encouraging the deaf people around the world.

International Sign Language Day every year observed on 23 September by the proposal of the world federation of the Deaf (WFD). The UN General Assembly has proclaimed the Sign Language Day in order to raise awareness of the importance of sign language in the full realization of the human rights of people who are deaf. 

Boosting the quality of sign language is the only motive of the International day of sign language. It is a pidgin type of sign language, which is not as complicated as natural sign languages. The day celebrates all of these amazing sign languages, paying homage to the incredible difference they have made to deaf people all around the world and increasing awareness about them.

About Sign Language

First of all, what is sign language? Sign language is one of the earliest forms of human communication. People commonly use signs when you signal hello or point to something you want. In the deaf community, Sign language is a form of visual language that uses hand gestures and body language to convey meaning.

There isn't a great deal that is thought about authentic sign languages pre the nineteenth century. The knowledge is restricted to fingerspelling structures, known as manual letter sets. These were imagined with the goal that words could be moved from the communicated in language to a sign language. The primary manual letter set is thought to have been created by Pedro Ponce de Leon.

The initial school for deaf children was established in Paris by Abbé de l'épée. This was in 1755, and the most acclaimed move on from here is seemingly Laurent Clerc. He went to the U.S. also, set up the American School for the Deaf in 1817 with Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet. The school can be found in West Hartford, Connecticut and it is really the most established lasting school for the deaf in the U.S., with around 174 students going to today. 

There is a number of sign languages present in the world. Every nation has its different language Like US, UK Australia have world dominant English language. China has its own mandarine language. India the nation of multiple cultures with multiple languages but dominant is Hindi. So, the very countries have to vary sign languages oriented regarding their nation. but for the communication in the world level a common language established by the WFD.

Read- International Red Panda Day 2020: Observation, Importance of Species

Sign Language Day 2020: Observation and Significance

Sign Languages Are for Everyone!

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. In 2020, the World Federation of the Deaf is issuing a  Global Leaders Challenge. This challenge aims to promote the use of sign languages by local, national, and global leaders in partnership with national associations of deaf people in each country, as well as other deaf-led organisations.

There is a lot of different ways you can celebrate the day. Like a vary common way that, you can learn the sign language and appreciate the deaf people with joining them and communicate them in their own sign languages. Another way is you can encourage the people to learn this beautiful language and use when any of deaf person around you. this small moment can change a deaf person's life and he/she not feel cut off from society.

Lack of Awareness of sign language and sign language day is a fall point of society. you can aware the people with the plus point of sign language and feed them with the information of sign language day. you can chit-chat with people in a public gathering or family-neighbour gathering and encourage them for fundraising in the deaf welfare organisation, for the step up the deaf community. Social media can play a huge role in spreading information about the Sign language day. you can trend the #SignLanguage and #SignLanguageDay in your social media platform.

Sign Language Day 2020: History

According to the United Nation, The proposal for the Day came from the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD), a federation of 135 national associations of deaf people, representing approximately 70 million deaf people’s human rights worldwide. The resolution A/RES/72/161 was sponsored by the Permanent Mission of Antigua and Barbuda to the United Nations, co-sponsored by 97 United Nations Member States and adopted by consensus on 19 December 2017.

The decision of 23 September celebrates the date that the WFD was built up in 1951. This day denotes the introduction of an advocacy association, which has as one of its primary objectives, the safeguarding of sign languages and deaf culture as pre-requirements to the acknowledgement of the common liberties of deaf individuals.

The International Week of the Deaf was first celebrated in September 1958 and has since evolved into a global movement of deaf unity and concerted advocacy to raise awareness of the issues deaf people face in their everyday lives. Also, The International sign language day first celebrated in 2018 as part of the International Week of the Deaf.

Read- World Peace Day 2020: Wide Observation, Significance, History

In the end, LIKE 👍 & SHARE, if my article is helpful?  SUBSCRIBE for more upcoming informative articles and give your opinion in the comment box for motivation.