Guatemalan Congress approves bill recognizing Guatemalan Sign Language

Last week, the Guatemalan Congress approved a law to recognize Guatemalan Sign Language.

I got this news from Juan Jośe Alvarado, an English Language Teaching Specialist from Guatemala.

He provided an English translation of an article from a Spanish speaking newspaper, Soy 502, that reported on the bill.

The bill, Act 3-2020, will “enable the right of every deaf and blind deaf person to be taught Sign Language as a native language.” The law will also “allow inclusion of (sign) language in public education, as well as its usage on national television.”

The law also establishes September 23rd as “Guatemalan Sign Language Day.”

There was a sign language interpreter in Congress’ chamber when lawmakers discussed the bill.

Thank you Juan for the translation and Congratulations to Guatemala.

September 23 is the official “International Day of Sign Languages” as recognized by the UN General Assembly. Why September 23? It is the date that the World Federation of the Deaf was established — in 1951.

https://www.soy502.com/.../diputados-aprueban-ley-lengua...

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