National Current Affairs
International Day of Sign Languages 2025
- 23 Sep 2025
- 2 min read
Why in News?
The Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, organized a grand celebration for "Sign Language Day – 2025" on 23rd September 2025.
- The Ministry of Education, in partnership with the Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET) and NCERT, also held a Special Five-Day Live Programme on Indian Sign Language from 15th to 19th September 2025.
Key Points
- About:
- The United Nations General Assembly declared 23rd September as International Day of Sign Languages to underscore the significance of sign language in realizing the human rights of Deaf people.
- The date marks the establishment of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) in 1951, which advocates for the rights and recognition of deaf individuals globally.
- The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which was adopted by the UN in 2006, recognizes sign languages as equal to spoken languages and obligates states to promote the linguistic identity of the Deaf community.
- India was one of the first countries to ratify the Convention in 2007.
- Theme: This year’s theme, "No Human Rights Without Sign Language Rights," calls for increased recognition of sign language as a tool for ensuring equality and dignity for individuals who are Deaf.
- 8th National Indian Sign Language Competition: As part of the celebration, the winners of the 8th National Indian Sign Language Competition, which saw participants from schools across the country in 13 categories, were honored for showcasing creativity and talent within the Deaf community.
