INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SIGN LANGUAGES

Tens of millions of people around the world are deaf, or hearing-impaired. This is a significant impediment when communicating with others. To compensate, sign language evolved as a vital communication tool for deaf people. These languages have been around for hundreds of years. The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution creating the International Day of Sign Languages. This September 23 holiday seeks to raise awareness of the importance of sign languages used all over the world. And, this holiday promotes the special communications needs of deaf people wherever they are.