This year's observance focuses on the contribution of autistic people at home, at work, in the arts and in policymaking. Autistic people do, nevertheless, still face discrimination and other challenges. As with all populations, autistic people have a wide range of talents and challenges that are often not recognized by the world they are born into. In addition, the levels of awareness and acceptance vary dramatically from country to country. We must also recognize that autistic people are especially vulnerable to the major upheavals to routines and daily lives that we witness all around us, such as pandemics, wars and natural disasters.
Statement by the U.N. Secretary-General on World Autism Awareness Day 2023; April 2nd.
On World Autism Awareness Day, we celebrate the contributions of persons with autism and renew our resolve to advance their inherent rights.
Despite important progress, persons with autism continue to face social and environmental barriers to the full exercise of their rights and fundamental freedoms, in line with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
We must do better – by promoting inclusive education, equal employment opportunities, self-determination, and an environment where every person is respected. And as we do so, we also recognize the role of families, caregivers, and support networks in the lives of persons with autism.
Today and every day, let us fully recognize the active and diverse contributions of persons with autism to our societies – and let us work together with persons with autism to build an inclusive and accessible world for all.
U.N. Secretary-General.
EVENTS
WEBINAR: Transformation: Toward a Neuro-Inclusive World for All.
Virtual Event: Sunday, 2 April 2023, 10:00 a.m. - 1 p.m. EST.
The event is organized in close collaboration with autistic people and will feature autistic people from around the world discussing how the transformation in the narrative around neurodiversity can continue to be furthered in order to overcome barriers and improve the lives of autistic people. It will also address the contributions that autistic people make – and can make – to society, and to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The World Autism Awareness Day 2023 observance is organized by the United Nations Department of Global Communications and Department of Economic and Social Affairs, in collaboration with the Institute of Neurodiversity (ION), an organization established and run by neurodivergent people for neurodivergent people and allies. ION is based in Switzerland and currently has a presence in 14 countries. ION is working to help create a world where neurodivergent individuals feel accepted, represented, included, empowered and heard.
The event will be streamed on the UN’s YouTube and Twitter channels, and on UN WebTV.
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