At IHAV, our mission comes to life through impactful events, dynamic cultural engagements, and strategic collaborations aimed at preserving and promoting indigenous signed and spoken languages. Our Events Page highlights both past milestones and upcoming initiatives, showcasing our dedication to linguistic diversity and community empowerment.

From workshops and outreach programs to global conferences and language documentation sessions, each event represents a step forward in our advocacy for indigenous languages. These gatherings foster meaningful discussions, knowledge sharing, and the celebration of linguistic and cultural heritage.

As we continue this journey, we invite you to explore our past events and stay updated on future opportunities to engage with our work. Whether attending in person or supporting from afar, your involvement strengthens our collective mission to protect, celebrate, and amplify indigenous voices worldwide.

Indigenous Hands and Voices (IHAV) is proud to be part of the World Igbo Conference (WIC) 2024, a gathering dedicated to the promotion and preservation of Igbo language, culture, and identity. As a USA-based NGO, IHAV is committed to safeguarding both signed and spoken indigenous languages, ensuring that no language or linguistic community is left behind.

At WIC 2024, IHAV will highlight the work of its Save the Deaf and Endangered Languages Initiative (S-DELI), an advocacy program that champions sign language inclusion, linguistic rights, and language documentation for the Deaf and other marginalized communities. Our participation will focus on the importance of documenting and revitalizing the Igbo language, not just in its spoken form but also through Igbo Sign Language (ISL), recognizing it as an integral part of the Igbo cultural heritage.

Through interactive discussions, research presentations, and collaborations, IHAV aims to contribute to the global efforts in preserving the Igbo language while advocating for greater awareness and accessibility in language education. We invite linguists, educators, and cultural advocates to engage with us at WIC 2024 as we work together to ensure that Igbo—both spoken and signed—thrives for generations to come.

In 2024, the Save the Deaf and Endangered Languages Initiative (S-DELI) proudly celebrated 10 years of groundbreaking work in promoting sign language and linguistic rights across Africa. This milestone event brought together researchers, educators, and advocates who have played a vital role in advancing indigenous sign languages and ensuring linguistic inclusion for the Deaf community.

Since its inception, S-DELI has been at the forefront of:
1. Promoting sign language in Africa, fostering greater awareness and accessibility.
2. Conducting research on indigenous sign languages, documenting and preserving these rich linguistic systems.
3. Advocating for the rights of Deaf children, ensuring they have access to quality education in their natural language.
4. Championing the linguistic rights of all children, emphasizing the importance of language in identity and development.

The 10th-anniversary celebration featured keynote addresses from distinguished professors, engaging discussions, and interactive activities, all focused on the progress and future of sign language advocacy and research. This event served as both a reflection on a decade of impact and a renewed commitment to strengthening linguistic diversity and accessibility for the next generation.

As S-DELI moves forward, we remain dedicated to ensuring no language, spoken or signed, is left behind.

This is an annual festival that harnesses STEM literacy through indigenous knowledge. In line with several existing studies, we believe that scientific knowledge is a product of indigenous knowledge, and the knowledge of science and technology becomes holistic when it is traceable to its cultural base as the first indigenous knowledge before it is harnessed into scientific knowledge. This, by extension, enriches the indigenous (signed and spoken) languages with new vocabulary and expressions. Our first IHAVLiFest is planned to take place in 2024 in the state of New Mexico. Read More