According to various researchers, international meetings between Deaf people have existed since the beginning of the 19th century, which also started the use of international signs. The development in the last decades of global communication by land, sea and air, has allowed Deaf people a greater number of transnational contacts and has consolidated several international meeting places. Here you can find out about some of the most important international Deaf and sign language events.
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| AI-generated image with Wall-E. |
The selection of these events was based on the fact that the use of international signs is generalized by the deaf participants, that most of the participants come from countries other than the host country, and that the event has been held several times with perspectives of continuity in the future. If you know of another event, feel free to leave a comment below.
Index:
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| Clin d'Oeil Festival in 2024 (Reims). Deaf Party in the area called Village (photo: Emilio Ferreiro) |
Clin d'Oeil Festival
This festival of Deaf culture brings together thousands of deaf people from all over the world for four days of shows and artistic performances in sign language: theater, cinema, visual vernacular, dance, etc.
- Topic: Deaf culture
- Year first held: 2003
- Frequency: every two years
- Venue: Reims (France)
- Organized: CinéSourds association
- Website: clin-doeil.eu
- Social media:
Deaf Academics and Research Conference (DAC)
Better known as Deaf Academics or DAC, this conference is aimed at the international scientific community of Deaf people, both researchers working in universities and university students and doctoral candidates who aspire to develop a research career.
- Topic: research
- Year first held: 2002
- Frequency: every two years
- Venue: variable (chosen at each conference)
- Organized: changes every conference
- Website: changes every conference
- Social media: unknown
Deaf History International Conference (DHI)
This international conference connects Deaf people from around the world interested in the study, preservation and dissemination of Deaf history.
- Topic: research
- Year first held: 1991
- Frequency: every three years
- Venue: variable
- Organized: Deaf History International association
- Website: deafhistoryinternational.com
- Social media:
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| DHI Conference 2022 held in Slovenia (photo: DHI 2022 facebook) |
Deaf International Party
This event is always held in a city in Italy and, in addition to artistic performances, includes stands of products made by Deaf people and excursions.
- Topic: Deaf culture
- Year first held: 2019 (?)
- Frequency: every two years (generally after the Clin d'Oeil Festival)
- Venue: Italy, a different city in every celebration
- Organized: Carmine de Caro
- Website: no website
- Social media:
Deaf Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest is known as the largest beer festival in the world. The festival lasts 16 or 17 days, but on one of the days there is a special event where hundreds of Deaf people gather and every year it attracts more and more Deaf people from other countries outside Germany.
- Topic: ocio
- Year first held: 2015 (?)
- Frequency: every year
- Venue: Munich, Germany
- Organized: unknown
- Website: no website
- Social media:
Deaf Sailcamp International
This small cruise on an authentic sailing ship departs from the Netherlands and travels through various points of the Wadden Sea. Young deaf people from Europe, between 18 and 35 years of age, share vacations, collaborative work and activities for a week.
- Topic: aventura
- Year first held: 2016 (?)
- Frequency: twice a year, in July and August
- Venue: Netherlands
- Organización: Splinter van Schagen
- Website: no website
- Social media:
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| Deaf Sailcamp 2016 (photo: Deaf Sailcamp facebook) |
Deaflympics
It is the most important international sporting event for deaf people, with summer and winter games.
- Topic: deporte
- Year first held: 1924
- Frequency: twice every four years (summer games and winter games)
- Venue: variable
- Organized: International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) and host country
- Website: deaflympics.com
- Social media:
Dr. Deaf
This international academic space is held every year in an idyllic natural setting in Norway with the aim of promoting and strengthening the academic careers of Deaf people. It lasts five days and is open to both university students and active researchers. In addition to PhDeaf workshops, writing retreats and other activities are often organized.
- Topic: research
- Year first held: 2018
- Frequency: once or twice a year
- Venue: Ål, Norway
- Organized: Dr. Joseph J. Murray, Dr. Annelies Kusters, and Dr. Maartje De Meulder
- Website: acadeafic.org/dr-deaf
- Social media: unknown
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| PhDeaf and Writing Retreat participants in December 2022 |
EUDY Youth Camp
One of the most important activities of the European Union of the Deaf Youth (EUDY) is the Deaf Youth Camp, with the participation of almost all European countries.
- Topic: politics and leadership
- Year first held: unknown
- Frequency: variable
- Venue: variable (chosen at the EUDY assembly)
- Organized: EUDY and host country Deaf youth organization
- Website: eudy.info
- Social media: unknown
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| EUDY Youth Camp 2018 in Slovakia (photo: EUDY facebook) |
Formal and Experimental Advances in Sign Language Theory (FEAST)
Formal and Experimental Advances in Sign Language Theory (FEAST) is a forum for discussion of formal approaches to sign language grammar (particularly in the generative tradition), experimental approaches to sign languages and their interaction.
- Topic: research
- Year first held: 2011
- Frequency: every one or two years
- Venue: variable
- Organized: variable (usually some university)
- Website: sites.google.com/site/feastconference
- Social media: unknown
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| FEAST 2024 poster in the United States |
International Conference of the WFD
The International Conference of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) is attended only by representatives of national organizations of deaf people who are members of the World Federation. Each conference deals with specific topics of general interest.
- Topic: politics and leadership
- Year first held: 2005
- Frequency: odd years between the congresses and the WFD General Assembly
- Venue: variable
- Organized: national organization of deaf people of host country
- Website: changes for every conference
- Social media: unknown
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| Poster of the fourth conference in Bangkok, Thailand |
International Congress on the Education of the Deaf (ICED)
The International Congress on the Education of the Deaf (ICED) is the oldest meeting space in the field of education of deaf and hard of hearing people. Hundreds of researchers, teachers, families and professionals from all over the world participate in this congres.
- Topic: research
- Year first held: 1878
- Frequency: every five years
- Venue: variable
- Organized: variable
- Website: changes for every conference
- Social media: unknown
SIGN International Conference on Sign Language Users
The International Conference on Sign Language Users (SIGN) includes presentations on any topic related to research on sign languages and deaf communities.
- Topic: research
- Year first held: unknown
- Frequency: variable
- Venue: variable
- Organized: a university in the host country
- Website: changes for every conference
- Social media: unknown
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| SIGN 10 poster in 2024, Trinidad and Tobago |
Theoretical Issues in Sign Language Research (TISLR)
The conference on Theoretical Issues in Sign Language Research (TISLR) is one of the oldest and most prestigious conferences where sign language researchers from around the world present and discuss the results of their research.
- Topic: research
- Year first held: 1986
- Frequency: every three years
- Venue: variable (chosen at every conference)
- Organized: Sign Language Linguistics Society (SLLS) and a host country university
- Website: changes for every conference
- Social media: unknown
Tokyo International Deaf Film Festival
International film festival held in Tokyo, with competition participation of short films and films produced all over the world.
- Topic: cine
- Year first held: 2017
- Frequency: every two years
- Venue: Tokyo, Japan
- Organized: Tokyo Deaf Film Festival Executive Committee
- Website: tidff.tokyo
- Social media:
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| First celebration of the 2017 Tokyo International Deaf Film Festival (photo: TDIFF facebook) |
WFDYS Youth Camp
The WFDYS Deaf Youth Camp is aimed at deaf youth from 18 to 30 years of age from all over the world.
- Topic: politics and leadership
- Year first held: unknown
- Frequency: every four years (just before the World Congress of the WFD)
- Venue: variable (chosen at each WFD Assembly)
- Organized: WFDYS and the Deaf youth organization of the host country
- Website: changes for every camp
- Social media: changes for every camp
World Congress of the WFD
This congress of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) is the oldest, largest and most important international congress, attended by thousands of deaf people from all over the world. The main activities of the congress are plenary lectures, papers and posters, accompanied by a modest cultural program.
- Topic: politics and leadership
- Year first held: 1951
- Frequency: every four years
- Venue: variable (chosen at each WFD Assembly)
- Organized: WFD and the national organization of Deaf people of the host country
- Website: changes for every conference
- Social media: changes for every conference
Other Events:
- Frontrunners (International Deaf Youth Leadership): is not an event in itself, but a 9-month training (between September and May each year) for Deaf youth from all over the world. More information: frontrunners.dk
- Festival Internacional de Cine Sordo de Argentina [International Deaf Film Festival of Argentina] (FiCSor): in addition to a competitive section of short, medium and feature films, this festival also offers workshops, conferences and other cultural activities. More information: ficsor.com.ar
- India International Deaf Film Festival: international film festival for the Deaf of variable frequency held in India.
- Toronto International Deaf Film & Arts Festival (TIDFAF): international festival of Deaf film and arts that has been held since 2006 in Toronto, Canada. More information: tidfaf.ca
- Shanghai International Deaf Film Festival: is the leading international film festival in China aimed at deaf people. More information: shidff.org
Sources:
- Bauman, H. D. L., & Murray, J. J. (2013). Deaf studies in the 21st century:‘Deaf-gain’and the future of human diversity. In L.J. Davis (Ed.), The disability studies reader (4th ed., pp. 246-262). Routledge.
