We’re so close now! Whether you’ve learned one sign or many, every step counts.

Tomorrow we celebrate NZSL, Deaf culture, and 20 years of recognition together.

Let’s keep moving forward... one day to go, one sign at a time.

An Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere is within reach 🔥
1 day. Let’s do this.

Are you ready for the 2025 NZSL Challenges? Choose one or try all three – it’s all about giving NZSL a go and having fun together! 🙌🏼

🌟 Challenge 1: Seven Minutes of Signing Grab your team, some kai, and our handy NZSL posters — spend 7 minutes trying out NZSL together over morning tea! ☕🤟

🌟 Challenge 2: Learn 7 Signs One sign a day for NZSL Week — easy! Stick posters up in your break room and give it a go with your whānau or workmates. 🧠✋

🌟 Challenge 3: Sign a Song Our toughest challenge! Learn to sign SIX60’s Pepeha song with our full video guide. Perfect if you already know some NZSL and want to level up! 🎶🤟

📲 Don’t forget to tag us or use #NZSL when you post your challenge – we’d love to see and share your videos!

Did you know we have a NZSL Week Marketing Kit with all your NZSL Week goodies in one place? 👀✨

As we celebrate 20 Years of New Zealand Sign Language as an Official Language 🩵, NZSL Week 2026 is coming this May, and we’ve made it easy to get involved and help spread the word.

The NZSL Week 2026 Media & Marketing Kit is on our nzsignlanguage.nz website, packed with ready‑to‑use assets to help you promote NZSL Week confidently and consistently.

Perfect for workplaces, schools, community groups, Deaf organisations, and media or communications teams.

✨ Inside the kit you’ll find:
- Social media tiles
- Social media covers
- NZSL Week logos and brand assets
- Brand guidelines to help you use everything correctly
- A finalised media release
- Posters and flyers
- FAQs and information on where to learn NZSL

Everything you need to celebrate, share and champion New Zealand Sign Language — all in one place.

As we mark 20 years of NZSL, this page on our nzsignlanguage.nz's website brings together stories from across the community—stories of advocacy and pride, of everyday life and extraordinary change. These are the voices, hands, and experiences that give NZSL its life.

Twenty years on, NZSL’s journey reminds us to honour the past, commit to action in the present, and be honest about what still needs to change. While we celebrate what has been achieved, we also recognise that the future of NZSL is not guaranteed—it depends on the choices we make next. This is A Legacy In Our Hands.

Keep checking back as we continue to collect and share more stories!

Erica, Shannon, and Alana have shared their stories on our social media, reflecting on the day New Zealand Sign Language became an official language on 6 April 2006.

We’d love to see your story too!

Were you there at Parliament? How has NZSL being an official language shaped your life?

Share a NZSL video with us, and we’ll feature it on our 20 Years of NZSL page! Email us at nzsl@deaf.org.nz

See their stories below:
📺 Erica's Story

📺 Shannon's story

📺Alana's Story

Quite a lot — and you definitely won’t be bored. This week is packed with events happening all over the motu!

Enjoy relaxed coffee experiences at Starbucks, join NZSL conversation sessions at local libraries, or connect with the community at coffee catch‑ups and student‑led gatherings. There are hands‑on activities too — from cooking with the Deaf Wellbeing Society to beginner‑friendly pilates classes.

A major highlight is a series of special lectures by Dr Joe Murray, President of the World Federation of the Deaf. This is a rare chance to hear directly from a global leader whose work has shaped Deaf education and language rights worldwide.

And adding a celebratory twist to the week, Garage Project has brewed a special NZSL Week release, Fresh May, which will be featured at the official launch event.

With tours, workshops, screenings, tamariki sessions, and the NZSL Awards Night rounding out the week, there’s truly something for everyone to enjoy and be part of.

Did you know that our website has an Events calendar, that you can add your events yourself on our nzsignlanguage.nz's website?!

It doesn’t have to be just for NZSL Week either, you can submit your accessible event any time throughout the year!

There is a form for you to fill in all the information about your event, and this will be sent to our Communications team to check before being approved and published on the website.

All events will need to checked by our team first before being published, so do not expect to see your recently submitted event published on the website immediately. Our team is busy, especially at this time of the year, so we ask for your patience.

We are excited to see all the community event submissions! It’s an easy process.

✨ The excitement continues because livestream tickets for the NZSL Awards are now open.

💻 Livestream tickets are $50 each, and you can watch live from anywhere - across Aotearoa or overseas.

⏰ Please note: Livestream ticket sales close on Friday, 8th May.

Why join us?
This is a powerful night of celebration.

We’ll be celebrating NZSL, recognising outstanding people and organisations, and honouring the strength, legacy, and diversity of our Deaf community.

We’d love for you to be part of this special night - wherever you are.

Ngā mihi nui, and we’ll see you online.