Did you know that there are over 300 different sign languages used worldwide (UN, 2024), each with its own grammar, vocabulary and structure? Australian sign language, or AUSLAN, is the official language of the Australian Deaf community. There is also an international sign language which is simplified and has a limited vocabulary.
The United Nations resolution proclaiming 23 September as the International Day of Sign Languages was adopted in December 2017. This date was chosen to commemorate the establishment in 1951 of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD), an advocacy organisation for deaf people’s rights. The first International Day of Sign Languages was celebrated in 2018 (UN, 2024).
In a social awareness video project for this year’s International Day of Sign Languages 2024, Nikhil Bora, the Experience Designer from the ANZx team, ANZ, asked people to do a simple signing video.
So, some of the lovely people in the Centre for Learning and Teaching hopped out of their comfort zone and gave signing a try. As instructed by Nikhil, we are signing:
“Happy International Day of Sign Languages” followed by the sign for applause.
If you would like to see the 2021 awareness campaign, you can see it in Nikhil Bora’s 2021 Happy International Day of Sign Language LinkedIn post.
Cait Greenup is a Senior Education Designer (Inclusive Design) at the Centre for Learning and Teaching.
