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.

The programme included two panel discussions. The first, titled “Deaf People’s Rights… From Principles to Practice,” explored the rights of Deaf people and accessibility within museums and cultural institutions.

The second, “In Their Voices… How Can We Reshape the Museum Experience?”, highlighted the experiences and perspectives of Deaf people on ways to develop a more inclusive museum experience.

Guided tours in sign language and a training course on the basics of sign language were also offered. These activities enabled participants to gain a deeper understanding of Deaf people’s rights, discuss accessibility-related challenges and possible solutions, and strengthen dialogue with specialists and cultural institutions.

The activities also contributed to improving museum practices and services while reinforcing the right of Deaf people to access knowledge and participate fully in cultural scene.

The programme continued at Sharjah Science Museum on Sunday with the “Science Challenge for Families,” an interactive programme for families with children who have disabilities. The event was organised in conjunction with the Year of Family and the International Day of Sign Languages.

Combining science, entertainment and shared learning, the programme aimed to strengthen cooperation and family bonds while demonstrating the importance of sign language as an effective means of communication within families and the wider community.

It also helped children and their relatives to develop scientific-thinking skills, including observation, prediction and reasoning, through interactive challenges suitable for different age groups.

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.

Over the years, it has welcomed Deaf participants from several Arab countries and other parts of the world, facilitating the exchange of experiences, knowledge and cultures and strengthening connections among Deaf communities.

In 2024, the initiative welcomed a group of Deaf participants from People’s Republic of China, along with visitors from various Arab countries.

For three consecutive years, SMA also provided museum-guided tours to groups of Deaf visitors from the United States, in cooperation with relevant entities.

SMA’s efforts extend beyond the “Let’s Live Together” initiative to include a range of programmes and activities designed for Deaf people, including participation in Arab Deaf Week, sign language-guided tours led by guides with hearing disabilities, as well as panel discussions and accessible museum activities intended to increase their participation in cultural and museum.

SMA has also launched the “Distinguished Sign-Language Guide” programme, which trains people with hearing disabilities to become museum guides, empowering them and enabling them to play an active role within museums.

These guided tours introduce Deaf visitors from abroad to Sharjah’s history and culture and the collections housed across its museums, fostering cultural exchange and strengthening engagement with the international Deaf community.

As part of its long-term vision, SMA continues to develop its employees’ skills in communicating and engaging with Deaf people and to expand the use of sign language across its museum programmes and services.

It also works to establish and develop partnerships with organizations, centres and institutions concerned with Deaf people to support the sustainability and continued development of its programmes and initiatives.

SMA plans to use the findings of the panel discussions, recommendations from speakers and suggestions from participants to improve accessibility programmes across its museums.

It 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.

They also contribute to advancing cultural and educational experiences and reinforcing Sharjah’s position in supporting inclusive culture and accessibility.

For more information about the initiative and Sharjah Museums Authority’s programmes, please visit the Authority’s official website:sharjahmuseums.ae