WILLEMSTAD - The National Language Institute of Curaçao (NTIC) is calling for greater recognition and appreciation of sign language as one of the island’s official languages. This call was made yesterday in the context of the International Week of the Deaf, a day that emphasizes the importance of sign language for deaf people and their communication with the broader society.
Sign language is a visual language that uses hand gestures, facial expressions, and body movements to convey thoughts and ideas. While many people think that sign language is universal, it actually varies just like spoken languages. Since 1996, Dutch Sign Language (NGT) has been used on Curaçao, along with Papiamentu, to facilitate communication between deaf and hearing people. The Myrna Dovale School uses this sign language, supplemented with spoken Papiamentu, in teaching deaf children.
The NTIC views this day as an important step in supporting the deaf community in developing their cognitive and social skills, giving them better opportunities to communicate with the rest of society. Together with the Foundation for Assistance to the Hearing Impaired (HAG) and the government, the NTIC aims to ensure that sign language is not only recognized but also valued as one of Curaçao’s official languages.
By raising awareness about the importance of sign language, the NTIC hopes to remove barriers that deaf individuals face daily in a world where sound plays a central role in communication. The use of visual communication, such as clearly articulating words or writing down short sentences, can help people without hearing loss to better communicate with deaf individuals.
With the establishment of a special commission that will work closely with social organizations and the government, Curaçao is taking an important step toward inclusivity and the recognition of the rights of the deaf community. The goal is to promote sign language hand in hand with other languages and embrace it as one of the island’s official means of communication.