Activities to disseminate awareness about autism

On the occasion of the World Autism Awareness Day, There have been several activities in Hasaka, Damascus and Lattakia cities to explain how to support children with autism.

The Directorate of Social Affairs in Hasaka city held Wednesday a symposium, which included a stage show performed by children from Institute for Deaf and Dumb in the city plus a distribution of prizes and clothes among children, according to the official news agency (SANA).

The agency quoted chairperson of Services Department in the Social Affairs Directorate Ali Iskan as saying that it is important to disseminate awareness about Autism and to enhance cooperation between public and private circles to support children with autism.

It pointed out that Autism center in Hasaka city receives 25 children.

Last Sunday, the Syrian organization for the disabled, known as AAMAL, in cooperation with Ministry of Social Affairs held a training workshop for 50 representatives of Non-Governmental Organizations working in the field of Autism.

The two-day workshop dealt with the mechanism of sharing experiences and information to offer the best services to children with autism and their relatives.

Another activity was held Monday by the Autism Association in Lattakiacity on the same occasion where over 90 person took part in a two-day workshop to explain how the association deals with children.

The World Autism Awareness Day is an internationally organized day on the 2nd of April every year, encouraging Member States of the United Nations to take measures to raiseawareness about children with autism throughout the world. It was designated by the United Nations General Assembly resolution 62/139.

Autism is a mental condition, present from early childhood, characterized by difficulty in communicating and forming relationships with other people and in using language and abstract concepts.

BasmaQaddour