Victoria’s deaf community came together on Monday (Sept. 23) to mark International Day of Sign Languages, a day that celebrates the cultural and linguistic contributions of deaf people around the world.
Gathering outside the legislature building, the group of deaf people and their supporters watched as the Deaf Flag was raised. It was a historic moment for the crowd as it was the first time in B.C.’s history the flag had been officially recognized by the province’s capital city.
“I felt completely inspired,” said Victoria-born Lisa Anderson, president of Greater Vancouver Association of the Deaf. “Completely proud to see our flag raised in my home town in Victoria, where I was born and raised. It gave me goosebumps; I felt complete joy.”
The Deaf Flag was also raised at other prominent buildings across Canada. As a sign of unity, the buildings are also set to be lit up in blue on the evening of Sept. 23.
The United Nations designated Sept. 23 as the International Day of Sign Languages in 2017. The day promotes the preservation of sign languages and deaf culture globally. The day also coincides with the International Week of Deaf People, Sept. 20-26, which raises awareness of the human rights and cultural significance of sign languages.
“It’s important that we recognize the deaf community and the work that we do together,” said Anderson. “[It’s important] to acknowledge our humanity, our human rights, which includes access to communication, and language rights."
“It’s important that we have access to communication with our friends and family, to raise awareness about issues that face our community, such as the lack of interpreters. We need to make sure we are fully included among our other peers in society,” she said.
At the special event, Anderson was also joined by representatives from the British Columbia Association of the Deaf, South Vancouver Island Association of the Deaf and the Mid-Island Deaf Association.
According to the World Federation of the Deaf, over 70 million deaf people worldwide use more than 300 sign languages. In B.C., approximately 5,600 people are deaf.
