Amman, Sept. 23 (Petra) -- From their earliest years, children born deaf often find themselves grasping for ways to be understood. Gestures and expressions become lifelines, yet too often, those signals fall on uncomprehending eyes. The distance between them and the world around them can feel impossibly wide, the silence heavy. Then comes a bridge: sign language, a fully fledged means of communication that offers not just words, but dignity, identity and belonging.
On Sept. 23, the world marks the International Day of Sign Languages, established by the United Nations in 2017 to spotlight this essential form of expression. The day underscores how sign language allows millions of deaf people to participate in education, employment and civic life on equal footing and how societies must still do more to break down the barriers that remain.
"Sign language is not a substitute, it is a natural language with its own culture and identity," said Ihsan Khlaidi, a professor of educational sciences at Al al-Bayt University. He described the day as a chance to highlight both the rights of deaf people and the persistent challenges they face: a shortage of trained teachers, gaps in early diagnosis of hearing loss, and a lack of systemic integration in schools. "Without early education and family support, a child who is deaf risks losing a vital window for language acquisition," he said.
Families, Khlaidi added, are the first and most important classroom. "Home is where children practice sign language naturally, where they gain confidence to step into society as equals," he said. Technology, too, is opening doors: smartphone apps, online dictionaries and artificial intelligence tools now enable real-time translation between spoken words and signs, reshaping the possibilities for communication.
For Samer Abu Drea, a sign language interpreter at Al-Balqa Applied University, the issue is not only practical but profoundly moral. "This is about justice," he said. "Sign language allows access to education, healthcare, even the courts. It is about equality, about being seen and heard in every sense of the word." The stakes are not abstract. Several deaf Jordanians who spoke with Petra described sign language as their "lifeline," not a tool, but a way of living. It enables them to communicate with family members, share emotions, and claim their place in a society that too often misunderstands them. They argue that official recognition of sign language in schools, media and public services is critical to ensuring they are not left on the margins.
Advocates say the responsibility extends beyond institutions. Even learning a handful of signs, they note, can dismantle stereotypes and open connections. "A single sign," Abu Drea said, "can erase a wall." The International Day of Sign Languages is, ultimately, less about celebration than about a reminder that true inclusion requires more than empathy; it demands action. As Khlaidi put it: "This day tells us clearly: a more inclusive society starts with recognizing sign language not as a concession, but as a right." //Petra// AA
