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The campaign aims to celebrate and educate about BSL and ISL, to encourage more people to start learning it and preserve BSL and ISL for future generations.

BSL was legally recognised in law by the UK Government on 28th April 2022, which will now be known annually as ‘National BSL Day’.

# Protect Promote Preserve BSL

BSL will be available soon

We're still making preparations for this year's Sign Language Week and will update the website regularly in the run-up to March. Thank you for your patience.

Getting Involved

# PROTECT PRESERVE PROMOTE

BRITISH
SIGN
LANGUAGE

# PROTECT PRESERVE PROMOTE

Last summer, members of the World Federation of the Deaf, including the BDA and other National Associations of the Deaf, approved the Deaf flag. The Deaf flag is a powerful symbol for Deaf communities around the world.

Turquoise Blue represents the deaf community and Sign Language, pride and unity.

Yellow represents the colour of light, an enlightened spirit, life and “thriving in unison”.

Dark Blue represents the earth, humanity and living in accordance with the planet. Dark Blue also indicates Deafhood, an individual and collective journey to combat audism and embrace Deaf gain. The concept of Deafhood was introduced by Dr. Paddy Ladd who also established the Blue Ribbon ceremony to commemorate the experiences of Deaf people around the globe. Dark blue is also the colour used by the World Federation of the Deaf.

GETTING INVOLVED

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OUR Ambassadors

As the ‘National Representative Organisation of British Sign Language (BSL) and Irish Sign Language (ISL) in the UK,’ our responsibility is to ‘Promote, Preserve and Protect’ BSL and ISL. Our national sign languages have faced marginalisation for over a century at the hands of the hearing majority—teachers, doctors, politicians—who relentlessly promoted oralism, denying Deaf children access to sign language and resulting in damaging language deprivation.

BSL stands as the fourth most widely used indigenous language in the UK, with an estimated 151,000 individuals utilising the language.

BSL will be available soon

We're still making preparations for this year's Sign Language Week and will update the website regularly in the run-up to March. Thank you for your patience.

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