SHARJAH, 13th September, 2026 (WAM) -- Sharjah Museums Authority (SMA) marked the International Day of Sign Languages with a series of events aimed at making cultural and educational experiences more accessible to people with hearing disabilities.
The activities formed a part of the Authority’s “Lets Live Together” initiative which seeks to promote inclusion and expand opportunities for people with hearing disabilities to learn, interact and participate in museum life.
The first event took place on Saturday, 12 September 2026, at the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization, followed by an interactive programme titled “Science Challenge Programme for Families” at the Sharjah Science Museum on Sunday, 13 September 2026.
This year’s “Let’s Live Together” initiative was held under the theme “Declaring Deaf People’s Human Rights”, with a particular focus on the rights of Deaf people in museums.
The programme celebrated linguistic and cultural diversity while highlighting the importance of sign languages as essential tools for communication, empowerment, and community participation.
It also offered greater insight into Deaf culture, the rights of deaf people, and the importance of creating more inclusive and accessible environments for all.
The initiative targeted people with hearing disabilities aged 15 and above, their families, sign language interpreters, hearing-disability specialists, relevant institutions and associations, museum employees, cultural-sector professionals, and those interested in accessibility and inclusion.
All activities and events were delivered in sign language to ensure that deaf participants could take part easily and effectively.
Deliberately organised to coincide with the International Day of Sign Languages, the “Let’s Live Together” initiative, held annually since 2017, has developed into a space where Deaf people and other members of society
can communicate, exchange ideas and interact, while promoting inclusion, coexistence and community participation.
Each year, the initiative attracts approximately 150 Deaf participants from countries around the world, alongside participants from various segments of society.
SMA will also seek to strengthen partnerships with entities working in the field of hearing disability, and continue advancing museum programmes and services in line with international best practices in inclusion and accessibility.
These efforts embody Sharjah’s vision of establishing culture as a right accessible to all, strengthening the participation of Deaf people in museums and cultural activities, and embedding accessibility principles within cultural practice.
The International Day of Sign Languages is celebrated every year on September 23 to raise awareness about the importance of sign language in realizing the human rights of deaf people.