Greetings! Recently at the July 2007 World Congress of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) in Madrid, Spain, delegates overwhelmingly supported the creation of International Day of Sign Languages, a celebratory event to be observed annually during the last full week of September, during Deaf Awareness Week.
Because this is a very recent WFD action, full-blown observance of this annual celebration of Sign Languages will be more evident starting next year.
The NAD will have its observance of WFD International Day of Sign Languages (“Celebrate ASL!”) on Friday afternoon September 28th from 2 to 4 pm at Gallaudet University, to celebrate the historic stance of the NAD on ASL as the natural language of the American deaf community (this event is open to the campus community as well as the public).
The NAD encourages its affiliates and local communities to join in this celebration of International Day of Sign Languages during the last full week of September, or the weekend of September 28-30. The NAD website will feature a listing of celebrations across the nation.
The NAD Board is also hard at work on developing an ASL position statement to reaffirm the historic stance of the NAD on ASL. This ties in beautifully with the global objectives of WFD, one of which specifically focuses on advancement of human rights through sign languages.
Remarks by Yerker J. Andersson, NAD Board Region I Representative
As former president of WFD from 1983 to 1995 and now as a WFD expert on human rights, I have had an opportunity to witness many dramatic changes in the human rights of deaf people worldwide. Recognition of sign languages has become a first step toward the increase of human rights for deaf people in every country.
In 1984, the WFD was able to convince a UNESCO commission of experts on deaf education to recommend the recognition of sign languages, the addition of deaf persons to school boards and the school use of successful deaf adults as models for deaf children. Besides, the WFD was not satisfied with the UN World Programme of Action Concerning Disabled Persons, published in 1983, because it failed to include the recognition of sign language.
Thanks to the persistent efforts of the WFD, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has now been signed by over 100 world countries to date. The UN Convention supports the use of sign language in deaf education and for accessibility reasons. This is a historic step in the right direction.
As of today, the governments or parliaments in about 40 countries have issued laws or declarations recognizing the linguistic status of sign languages in these countries. American Sign Language has already been acknowledged in the Americans with Disabilities Act, known as the ADA. For the American deaf community, the ADA is one of our most important civil rights milestones.
The WFD encourages all its member affiliate countries to achieve formal recognition of their sign languages so deaf people will gain much more human rights. This solidarity will – no doubt – preserve and promote not only their beautiful sign languages but also their rich cultural heritage.
Closing remarks by NAD President Bobbie Beth Scoggins
Thank you, Yerker. As you can see, the NAD as the USA affiliate to the WFD continues its fight on behalf of deaf Americans and ASL as our natural language, to be cherished, recognized, and respected.
Please join us to “Celebrate ASL!” and WFD International Day of Sign Languages in your home communities this month!
See also www.nad.org/CelebrateASL
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