A Press Release from the organisers of the Belfast protest outside the Italian Consultate:
to: The Irish News, The Belfast Telegraph, info@u.tv, BBC.URGENT PRESS RELEASE
World Outcry Against Italian Parliament Bill
There is a bill in the Italian Parliament that was originally going to recognize Italian Sign Language (LIS), but pro-CI/oral "special interests" succeeded in changing the wording that will change LIS to LMG, which is Language of Mimes and Gestures.
The Deaf sign language using community throughout the world are outraged by this insult. It has long since been proven and recognised worldwide that sign language is a language in every sense of the word. Just as any spoken language it has its own structure - syntax, linguistics, synonyms and morphisms.
Tomorrow world wide people from the Deaf and hearing community are gathering in protest.
In Belfast at 16:00 many Deaf people and hearing supporters are meeting at the City Hall to protest and sign a petition against this blatant and deliberate discrimination against the Deaf sign language using community in Italy and around the world. Please support our cause.
Lina Kankeviciute
Chairperson Limepie Theatre and member of Deaf Community
cankaslina (at) gmail (dot) com
See also:
Italian Embassy Events on Wednesday 25 May 2011
How You Can Support the Italian Deaf Community
Letter to the Italian Parliament from Dr Steven D. Emery
Protest at the Italian Embassy in London this Wednesday
Letter to the Italian Embassy in Dublin by Dr. John Bosco Conama
Italy might as well say: Deaf People use Monkey Language!
International Petition to Support Italy & UK Protest
