Students practice British Sign Language in a classroom.

May

Theme: Deaf Awareness Week

In May, we celebrate Deaf Awareness Week. This week is an annual event that aims to raise awareness about the Deaf community, their language, culture, and history.

The UK Council on Deafness created Deaf Awareness Week to increase the visibility of challenges the Deaf community face and educate others on how they can support them.

It is a time to celebrate Deaf identity, promote Deaf culture, and advocate for equal access to communication and services for the Deaf and hard of hearing.

This week-long event provides an opportunity for individuals and organisations to come together and support the Deaf community, learn about their experiences, and work towards a more inclusive and accessible society.

A woman in a yellow cardigan signing

British Sign Language Plan 2024 – 2030

At QMU, we aim to create an inclusive, diverse and accessible environment where it is everyone’s responsibility to ensure all members of our University community are treated with fairness, dignity, respect and have a sense of belonging.

We are highly committed to protecting and promoting British Sign Language (BSL). As part of our commitments to the Scottish Government’s BSL (Scotland) Act 2015, we have committed to a BSL Action Plan which is ambitious, responsive, builds on our progress and which is continually shaped by national initiatives, local needs and the priorities of BSL users.

Our Action Plan is available in English and in BSL:

BSL Action Plan (English Version)

BSL Action Plan (BSL Version)


 

Key Dates

4th – 10th May – Deaf Awareness Week

13th May – UK National Day for Staff Networks

12th May – International Nurses Day

11th – 17th May – Mental Health Awareness Week

17th May – International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia

21st May – Global Accessibility Awareness Day

21st May – World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development

24th May – Pansexual & Panromantic Visibility Day

Religious Dates

1st - Beltane/May Eve (Wicca/Pagan)

1st* (*dates vary in different countries) Vesak/Visakha Puja (Buddhist)

2nd - Twelfth Day of Ridván (Bahá’í)

4th – 5th - Lag B’Omer (Judaism)

14th - Ascension Day (Christian)

21st – 23rd - Shavuot (Judaism)

23rd - Declaration of the Báb (Bahá’í)

24th – 25th - Pilgrimage of St Sara La Kali (Roma)

24th - Pentecost (Christian)

26th – 30th - Eid al-Adha (Islam)

28th - Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh (Bahá’í)

31st - Pentecost (Orthodox Christian)