The celebration of International Deaf Week is an important tradition for the deaf people around the world. The activities aims to raise awareness and promote the rights of the deaf and to highlight specific human rights issues that deserve special attention and share of all the possible solutions and successful adaptations. Thanks to the WCARS project support, the four project countries celebrated from September 23rd to 29th, 2019, the International Week of the Deaf and the International Day of Sign Language through the various activities to discover, promote and defend the SL and the deaf culture.
Mali organized a press conference on sign language, a peaceful march to the Prime Minister’s Office and the sports activities. Ivory Coast celebrated the event by organising a press conference on sign language, an official public panel on sign language rights. As for Niger, it is the awareness on SL, friendly football match and a peaceful march. Togo organized the activities in the two different towns of the country such as a peaceful march, the advocacy on sign language and an awareness raising on the importance of sign language.
In addition to celebrating the IWD, another activity was being carried out with the support of the WCARS project. This was about the awareness workshop on sign language and Deaf issues.