On 18th December 2024, the European Union of the Deaf (EUD), represented by its Executive Director Frankie Picron, and by its Policy Manager Alexandre Bloxs, was honoured to participate in the prestigious Sakharov Prize Programme organised by the European Parliament in Strasbourg. This annual event celebrates the values of human rights, freedom of thought, and the protection of fundamental rights, providing a platform for civil society organisations to engage with decision-makers and share their perspectives on critical global human rights issues.
The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought is named after Andrei Sakharov, a Soviet physicist and outspoken human rights activist. Since its inception in 1988, the prize has been awarded to individuals and organisations that have made significant contributions to the defence of human rights and freedom of expression.
Our participation in the event allowed us to put on the table of discussion the unique perspective of EU National Sign Languages as the most fundamental rights of deaf people. We highlighted the critical importance of recognising national sign languages as full and official languages of the European Union.
A key moment during the event was the meeting between the EUD delegation and Sophie Wilmès, Vice-President of the European Parliament. This meeting allowed the EUD to directly pass a message on the urgency to address the systemic barriers in the use of national sign languages within the European Parliament.
During the programme, EUD also took the opportunity to raise awareness about the intersectional discrimination faced by women with disabilities, including deaf women, in conflict zones such as Gaza.
The key takeaways of our participation and contribution to the Sakharov Prizes:
- National sign languages are a non-negotiable human right for deaf people;
- The European Union of the Deaf is working towards ensuring that National Sign Languages should become official EU languages;
- Deaf women face intersectional discrimination in armed conflicts due to, among others, their gender, disability and language.
We would like to sincerely thank the organisers of the Sakharov Prize, the European Partnership Program, for the opportunity given to EUD to spotlight National Sign Languages as the most fundamental human right of deaf people and key to their full participation and contribution in their societies and communities.
