As part of the celebration of the International Day of Sign Languages for the year 2026, the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO), in cooperation with Beijing Normal University, the Shara Sign foundation, the Arab representation of the World Association of Sign Language Interpreters (WASLI), the Millennium Sustainable Education foundation, and a number of international partners, announces the launch of the global initiative "The Global Sign Language Video".

This initiative aims to promote the values of communication and human understanding, and to highlight the linguistic and cultural diversity of deaf communities around the world, in support of international efforts to recognize sign languages as an authentic part of human linguistic and cultural diversity, and as an essential tool for enhancing the inclusion and community participation of persons with hearing disabilities.

The initiative seeks to produce a comprehensive global video that brings together contributions from various countries of the world, by inviting participants to record short messages in their own national sign languages, expressing the spirit of human solidarity and cultural diversity. These contributions will be compiled into a unified global work, to be published during the International Week of Sign Languages for the year 2026 across a number of international platforms.

ALECSO invites the relevant associations and institutions, members of the deaf community, and sign language users in various parts of the world to take part in this initiative by recording a video clip in accordance with the approved technical guidelines, and sending it through the electronic platform dedicated to the initiative.

The participation details and video submissions can be accessed via the following link:

https://gsl.alecso.org

The period for receiving contributions continues until 31 July 2026. Accepted participants will receive a digital certificate of participation, and their names will also be included in the end credits of the global video and published on the official website of the initiative.

ALECSO affirms that this initiative represents a unique opportunity to strengthen the presence of Arabic sign languages within a global project that celebrates diversity and builds bridges of communication between peoples and cultures, embodying its humanitarian message:
"Different languages... a shared humanity".