Last Updated: September 26, 2022, 07:45 IST
The World Deaf Day aims to sensitize people about the challenges that a deaf person has to face. (Representative image: Shutterstock)
The theme for this year’s International Week of the Deaf is ‘Building Inclusive Communities for All’
World Deaf Day is observed annually on the last Sunday of September. This month, the day will be celebrated on September 25. It aims to raise awareness on the issues faced by deaf people in their daily lives. The day is part of the International Week of the Deaf People which will be observed from September 19 to September 25 this year.
HISTORY
The World Deaf Day is part of the International Week of the Deaf People which will be observed from September 19 to September 25 this year. The week is an initiative by the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) and was first celebrated back in September 1958 in Rome, Italy. It is observed during the whole last week of September to commemorate the month when the World Congress of the WFD was organised.
WFD is a federation of 135 national associations of deaf people which represents the human rights of around 70 million deaf people worldwide. The body was established on September 23, 1951. The date is now celebrated as the International Day of Sign Languages by the United Nations.
Theme for International Week of the Deaf 2022
The theme for this year’s International Week of the Deaf is ‘Building Inclusive Communities for All’.
SIGNIFICANCE
According to the World Federation of the Deaf, there are currently more than 70 million deaf people around the world. Out of these, over 80 per cent people live in developing countries and use more than 300 different sign languages, collectively. The World Deaf Day aims to sensitize people about the challenges that a deaf person has to face. The day is geared towards promoting better lifestyle and employment opportunities for the deaf.
