#SilentWalk&Run

8th Annual
#SilentWalk
&Run

Organised by Neema Foundation for the Deaf in partnership with:

◊ Gauteng Department of Education, Sport, Arts, Culture & Recreation

◊ City of Johannesburg the Hosting City

◊ Africanbank

September is Deaf Awareness Month, which is also part of the International Week for the Deaf and is aimed at commemorating the first World Congress of the World Federation of the Deaf, which took place in September 1951. Deaf Awareness Month is commemorated through the Annual #SilentWalk&Run, a family event intended to invite members of the hearing community to participate in the walk or run for them to gain a better understanding of the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community's daily lives. Since its inception in 2016, the #SilentWalk&Run has seen a yearly increase in participation and awareness of the Deaf community, as well as education about Deafness. The annual #SilentWalk&Run walk/run encourages the hearing community to walk/run in silence as a symbol to commemorate Deaf Awareness Month and walk a mile in the shoes of those who are Deaf and hard-of-hearing, the event also has several activities alongside the fun walk/run, such as Deaf tennis, Silent aerobics, Kids play area, entertainment by Deaf Persons and many more. Proceeds from the entries go towards the Neema Foundation for the Deaf, which assists Deaf Victims of Domestic Violence and raises awareness of the challenges facing Deaf Victims of GBV. This includes educating people about the rights of the Deaf and hard-of-hearing and the importance of Deaf social inclusion.