"Inclusion" is the sign of the year 2025
The Swiss Sign Language community has chosen «inclusion» as the Sign of the Year for 2025. With this decision, it is sending a strong message in support of participation and recognition. The selection was made through a democratic process with broad participation from all language regions.
The Swiss sign language community has decided: "Inclusion" is the sign of the year 2025. The vote is a clear signal for real participation and social recognition of deaf and hearing-impaired people.
Strong participation underlines relevance
The high level of participation in the vote shows how central the topic is for those affected. Inclusion is not a buzzword for them, but an everyday reality - and at the same time a permanent challenge. The sign is representative of the experiences and concerns of deaf and hearing-impaired people in Switzerland.
No inclusion without language
True inclusion means that deaf and hearing-impaired people are included in all areas of society as a matter of course. This requires equal rights and unrestricted access to communication. The recognition of sign languages in Switzerland plays a central role in this - because without language, there is no real inclusion.
Sign language expert Sandra Sidler-Miserez emphasizes: "Just as there is a word of the year, there is also a sign of the year. Sign languages are languages in their own right - inextricably linked to deaf culture." The choice of "inclusion" makes it clear that equality is not a bonus, but a fundamental right.
Democratic election process
The choice was made with the active participation of the community: first, the sign language community submitted suggestions. An expert group of deaf and hearing-impaired people then selected three finalists. In the final step, the community voted online for the most suitable sign language. The numerous votes came from all three language regions and were distributed proportionally.
The "Sign of the Year" makes visible what moves the sign language community. It strengthens the perception of sign languages and stands for language, participation and identity.
