International week of deaf people |24 September 2022

Miss Shana David and Miss Faizelle Docteur teaching the students of Mont Fleuri school

‘Building inclusive communities for all’

The international week of deaf people started on September 23 and the theme is ‘Building inclusive communities for all’.

This is an initiative of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) and was first launched in 1958 in Rome, Italy to commemorate the month when the first world congress of the WFD was held.

Anita Adeline Gardner from the deaf association noted that “this year our local association in collaboration with the school is organising some activities to commemorate the day but on a small scale, due to Covid-19 restrictions”.

At the school, teachers organised talks, games and other activities related to sign language and the school also invited some students from Mont Fleuri primary to join a sign language class.

To promote the Seychellois sign language the deaf association published a sign language dictionary some years back and is also preparing a dossier to present to government to make sign language the fourth language in Seychelles,” shared Mrs Gardner.

To promote the teaching of sign language to the deaf and members of their family including people having everyday contact with the deaf people in Seychelles, the association is offering sign language classes every Saturday at 1pm at the centre for the deaf situated at Mont Fleuri. Interested persons should contact the association on 2749791.

Deaf week celebration will be held in Seychelles during the second week of October 2022.

Vidya Gappy