International week of persons with hearing impairments

Every year, during the last week of September, the world observes the International Week of Persons with Hearing Impairments. This week serves as an important opportunity to draw attention to the challenges faced by people with hearing impairments and to emphasize the importance of equal access to education, information, and communication.

People with hearing impairments are equal members of society, not exceptions to the rule. More than 430 million people worldwide have hearing impairments. In Ukraine, thousands of people use Ukrainian Sign Language daily. People with hearing impairments can fully learn, work, create, and be active citizens—if an accessible environment is created for them.

Many renowned individuals throughout history had hearing impairments:

• Ludwig van Beethoven – prominent German composer and pianist.
• Antonio Stagnoli – one of the Italian painters.
• Yassine – French sculptor.
• Jean-Jacques Rousseau – Franco-Swiss Enlightenment philosopher, writer, and composer.
• Pierre de Ronsard – Renaissance poet known as the “prince of French poets,” a skilled fencer and dancer, who famously said: “With poor hearing, there is nothing to do at court.”
• Victor Hugo – French writer, author of “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame.”

Respect for the dignity, language, culture, and needs of people with hearing impairments is the foundation of a barrier-free environment that modern Ukraine strives for.

More information about people with hearing impairments is available at:

Based on materials from the Competence Center for Inclusive Education.