👐✨ 23 September – International Day of Sign Languages ✨👐

More than 70 million Deaf people worldwide use over 300 different sign languages. These are not only ways to communicate — they are expressions of identity, culture, and belonging.

 

Yet, barriers to education, healthcare, and inclusion still limit the rights of Deaf and hard-of-hearing people.

 

At the European Development Foundation (EDF), we believe inclusion means hearing every voice — spoken, written, and signed.

 

Our ongoing projects reflect this commitment:

Mother Matters – protecting the right of women with disabilities to motherhood.

Learning to Live – improving the digital competences and autonomy of people with disabilities, and enhancing the skills of caregivers and professionals.

ELIS – empowering educators and families for LGBTIQ+ inclusive support.

 

Together, they show that true equality is only possible when every person’s language, identity, and rights are respected.

 

On this International Day of Sign Languages, we celebrate linguistic diversity and reaffirm our call for a world where no one is left out of the conversation.