MUSCAT – The initiative has emerged as a humanitarian platform aimed at spreading awareness of sign language as the mother tongue of the Deaf and as a vital tool for reinforcing the principles of equality and active participation among all segments of society.

Launched through the efforts of young volunteers, the initiative is driven by a belief in the importance of strengthening human communication, fostering social inclusion, and building effective communication bridges with the Deaf community. These efforts contribute to enabling Deaf individuals to access community services and participate fully in social life.

Majid bin Hamad Al Harthy, founder of the ‘Sign Without Borders’ initiative and a sign language trainer, stated that the initiative is based on volunteerism and self-driven efforts to spread the culture of sign language. He emphasised the initiative’s continuous collaboration with civil and professional institutions to achieve its goals, particularly in improving quality of life and raising community awareness about the Deaf community. He stressed that sign language is their mother tongue, noting that meaningful communication and interaction cannot be achieved without learning it, and that doing so has a positive impact on the Deaf community by strengthening their sense of belonging.

In a statement to the Oman News Agency, Al Harthy explained that the initiative seeks to activate digital platforms to expand the dissemination of basic sign language skills, while safeguarding the rights of the Deaf to access all community services. He added that the number of participants since the initiative’s launch has reached approximately 2,100.