World Autism Awareness Day, 2 April 2016

On 18 December 2007, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 62/139, officially designating 2 April of every year, from 2008, as World Autism Awareness Day. The Resolution also “encourages member states to take measures to raise awareness throughout society, including at the family level, regarding children with autism” and subsequently calls on Member States, organisations of the United Nations, international organisations and civil society to “observe World Autism Awareness Day in an appropriate manner”. The theme established by the United Nations for World Autism Awareness Day 2016 is ‘Autism and the 2030 Agenda: Inclusion and Neurodiversity’, with the aim to “look ahead to 2030 and reflect on the new Sustainable Development Goals [affecting disabled people, such as ‘Quality Education’ and ‘Reduced Inequalities’] and their implications for improving the lives of people with autism”.