International Stuttering Awareness Day

International Stuttering Awareness Day (ISAD), or International Stammering Awareness Day, is an annual celebration held on October 22. It is known in the UK and Ireland, in 1998.[1] The day is intended to raise public awareness of the issues faced by millions of people – one percent of the world's population[2] – who stutter, or stammer.

ISAD ribbon

Every year, stuttering communities and associations around the world get together, put on events and campaign to highlight how certain aspects of society can be difficult for people who stammer; to challenge negative attitudes and discrimination; and to debunk myths that people who stammer are nervous or less intelligent.

ISAD also celebrates the many notable figures who stammer who have made a mark on the world now and throughout history in the fields of science, politics, philosophy, art, cinema and music.

Organization

ISAD is organised by three organizations:[3]

Activities

ISAD includes an online conference,[4] running annually from October 1 to 22 each year, targeted at people with an interest in stuttering as well as speech-language pathologists and their clients.[3] The conferences, held every year since 1998, are all still available online.[5] More boys than girls stutter by a ratio of 8 to 1. However, girls are less successful in eliminating their stutter as they mature.

Worldwide there are public awareness events, a media campaign,[6][7][8] educational activities and online resources.

In an article published in the UK magazine Community Care to mark International Stuttering Awareness Day, Irina Papencheva from the Bulgarian Stuttering Association and Phil Madden from the European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities demanded a fresh start in attitudes towards stammering, saying that "everyone has the responsibility to be aware, to be sensitive in our conversations and meetings" and to remember that stuttering is "not funny".[9]

References
  1. Sugarman, Michael (August 2004). "International Stuttering Awareness Day – ISAD from conception to present day". Minnesota State University, Mankato, United States. Archived from the original on 5 December 2004. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
  2. "Journée mondiale du BÉGAIEMENT: Un trouble du langage à la rencontre d'autrui". Sante log. Roubaix, France. 22 October 2012. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  3. "UWE academic takes part in online stuttering conference" (Press release). University of the West of England, Bristol, UK. 25 September 2007. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
  4. "Nosením zelenej stužky sa dá vyjadriť pochopenie pre koktavých ("Wearing green ribbons can express sympathy for stuttering")". Topky. Bratislava, Slovakia. 20 October 2012. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  6. "International Stuttering Awareness Day (ISAD): October 22". International Stuttering Association. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
  7. "Stutter group's daredevil stunt". The Epworth Bells and Crowle Advertiser. Epworth, Lincolnshire, UK. 25 October 2012. Archived from the original on 20 April 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  8. "3% of the population stutters in Cameroon". 237online.com. Douala, Cameroon. 23 October 2012. Archived from the original on 16 January 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  9. Papencheva, Irina; Madden, Phil (21 October 2012). "International Stammering Awareness Day; stuttering is not funny". Community Care. London. Archived from the original on 20 April 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
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