September 18-24 marks International Week of the Deaf, an annual opportunity to recognize and build awareness of the Deaf and hard of hearing community around the world. This year’s theme is A World Where Deaf People Everywhere Can Sign Anywhere, which reminds us to promote and champion the importance of sign languages as a means of communication, fostering a world where Deaf and hard of hearing individuals can express themselves freely and be fully included in all aspects of society. 

Monday, Sept 18, 2023 – Declaration on the Rights of Deaf Children

The Declaration on the Rights of Deaf Children contains 10 articles proclaiming the rights of all deaf children around the world. This declaration is essential in promoting the rights of deaf children.

• To read and sign the declaration, showing your support for Deaf children’s rights around the world, click here. 
• Watch A Deaf Perspective Experience at school (5:14)

Tuesday, Sept 19, 2023 – Building Capacity Across the Globe

Building Capacity Across the Globe is all about raising awareness of Deaf people’s lived experiences and increasing capacities of local Deaf communities around the world. Deaf experiences include audism, which is discrimination against Deaf and hard of hearing individuals based on the belief that the ability to hear or behave as one who can hear is somehow superior. Some associations that support Deaf and hard of hearing individuals locally are:

• Manitoba Deaf Association 
  The MDA promotes and develops accessible, educational, recreational activities and interests for the benefit of the Deaf community. 
  
• Manitoba Cultural Society of the Deaf 
  MCSD-DAM’s vision is to integrate Deaf and non-deaf communities with complete accessibility and to empower Deaf culture, arts, and language. 
  
• Manitoba Deaf Sports Association 
  The mission of MDSA is to encourage participation in sports to strengthen, promote and instill values of cultural association by providing sporting opportunities to members of Deaf/Hard of Hearing communities. 
  
• Deaf Resource Centre 
  The DRC coordinates and/or provides resources, programs and advocacy to enhance the development of the Deaf community. 

Wednesday, Sept 20, 2023 – Realizing Nothing Without Us

Realizing Nothing Without Us is about encouraging governments and organizations to consult Deaf people and Deaf organizations in all projects and initiatives regarding Deaf people and sign languages. The resource below emphasizes the importance of having Deaf people be the ones to teach national sign languages to others and to pass on knowledge of Deaf culture and history. There are ASL classes taught here at the College which you may have seen in Staff News recently! The next offering of ASL classes is in the Winter Term through Continuing Education.

Here are some interesting resources on the topic: 

• Position paper on the primacy of deaf people in the development and teaching of national sign languages 
• Nothing about us without us: disability oppression and empowerment

Thursday, Sept 21, 2023 – Putting Deaf People on the Agenda

“Deaf communities worldwide work to ensure policies and programs reflect the lived realities of deaf people’s lives. Today we call upon national governments, international institutions, research centres, and policymaking bodies to centre deaf people in their work. There is still a significant lack of data on deaf people’s lives and less on the right to use national sign languages. Today we highlight the research done on deaf lives to date and call for more disaggregated data collection and monitoring of deaf people and sign languages.”

–wfdeaf.org 

• DeafDots serves Deaf and hard of hearing individuals across Canada by providing news updates in American Sign Language and La langue des signes québécoise (LSQ).
  
• The Daily Moth is based out of the US delivering news using American Sign Language covering trending stories and Deaf topics with a twist of humour and Deaf culture.

These news sources align with the World Federation of the Deaf’s call for national governments, international institutions, research centres, and policymaking bodies to centre Deaf people in their work. 

Friday, Sept 22, 2023 – Achieving Sign Language Rights for All

In 2014, French Deafblind artist, Arnaud Balard, designed a “Sign Union” flag for Deaf people and signing people who communicate in sign language everywhere. Check out this video of him explaining his vision for how he came up with the design and the meaning behind it.

Learn more about Canada’s six sign languages, including three Indigenous sign languages, through the Canadian Language Museum’s exhibit entitled Sign Language of Canada from the Canadian Language Museum. You can visit the virtual version of this exhibit, here.

Saturday, Sept 23 and Sunday, Sept 24

International Week of the Deaf continues over the weekend with more themes to consider:

• Saturday – International Day of Sign Languages: A World Where Deaf People Everywhere Can Sign Anywhere
• Sunday – Building Inclusive Deaf Communities

To celebrate the use of the diverse sign languages used around the world, on Saturday, September 23, the Esplanade Riel and the landmark “WINNIPEG” sign at The Forks will be lit up in blue!