Source ::: The Peninsula

Doha • The Autism Awareness Campaign of Britain has praised Qatar for highlighting a range of issues related to autism, says a report.

There are 60 million people with autism around the world; many have no access to public services in education, health, specialist speech therapy and respite care.

Ivan Corea, head of the Autism Awareness Campaign Britain said: "Qatar is blazing a trail to help children and adults with autism and Asperger's Syndrome. I want to pay tribute to H H Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned for doing so much for world autism. She supported the first ever United Nations World Autism Awareness Day recently. Qatar sponsored the resolution and WAAD was a huge success around the world. I now urge Qatar to help the poor, where autism is concerned, there are millions who are suffering without access to basic public services," he said.

The Autism Awareness Campaign UK was set up in 2000 by parents and carers of a young boy with autism, Charin Corea. Their idea of designating 2002 as Autism Awareness Year in the UK was supported by 800 British organizations. The campaign has the full support of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Recently over 200 Britsh MPs signed three early day motions in the House of Commons backing the autism campaign. Many are calling for action on autism around the world.

Autism campaigners have called on United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to launch a world autism strategy, convene a UN Autism Conference in 2009 in order to connect with world leaders on autism and for UN agencies such as UNICEF and the UNDP to help the poor in Africa and Asia.

http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=May2008&file=Local_News200805073277.xml

GULF TIMES news report on the Autism Awareness Campaign UK:

http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=217046&version=1&template_id=36&parent_id=16

Max Foster interviews Ivan Corea, head of the Autism Awareness Campaign UK. Click on the picture below to take you to the CNN Report, 'Fighting for Autism.'

CNN featured the work of the Autism Awareness Campaign to mark the first ever United Nations World Autism Awareness Day on Wednesday 2nd April interviewing Ivan Corea:

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/health/2008/04/02/intv.austism.corea.cnn

A film by Media Eye Productions in the UK was launched in London at a ceremony to mark the first ever World Autism Awareness Day launched by the United Nations in New York on Wednesday 2nd April. World Autism Awareness Day was declared by the UN General Assembly on the recommendation of the State of Qatar. Events to mark the day were organised across the world.

Lady Uddin congratulated the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Emir for Qatar and Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned, the Consort of His Highness the Emir of Qatar on the Media Eye Productions Film. Baroness Uddin was in conversation with Ivan Corea, head of the Autism Awareness Campaign UK - they are parents and carers of young people with autism and have campaigned on the serious education and health issues facing children and adults with autism and Asperger's Syndrome.

In the film released on You Tube, autism campaigner Ivan Corea urges United Nations Secretary-General Ban ki-moon to 'open every door' to every child and adult with autism and Asperger's Syndrome around the world. The Autism Awareness Campaign UK is urging UNSG Ban Ki-moon to launch a world strategy on autism, convene a United Nations Conference on autism in 2009 to engage with world leaders on autism and for UN agencies such as UNICEF and the UNDP together with Britain's DFID to reach out to the ppor and help families with autism who are below the poverty line in the Third World - particularly in Africa and Asia.

Speaking in London, Baroness Uddin said a UN Conference on Autism in 2009 is an absolute must in order to raise the profile of Autism and Asperger's Syndrome on the world's stage.

The award winning Sri Lanka born singer/songwriter Mr. Nimal Mendis presented Baroness Uddin with a copy of his hit song for autism, 'Open Every Door,' sung by the South Asian superstar, Gresha Schuilling. 'Open Every Door,' was released by Media Eye Music in London to mark the historic United Nations World Autism Awareness Day. The song has been released for the new charity being set up in Britain - the UK AUTISM FOUNDATION who are aiming to build a state of the art Autism Centre in London, an autism school and help families with autism who are below the poverty line - the UK Autism Foundation are also proposing to reach out to the poor in Africa and Asia.

Mr. Nimal Mendis thanked Baroness Uddin for her tireless efforts for autism. Lady Uddin said she hope 'Open Every Door' will lead to a greater awareness of autism and Asperger's Syndrome across the globe.

To watch the UN World Autism Awareness Day - Baroness Uddin in Conversation with Ivan Corea Film on You Tube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnrFTsWR3TU

GMTV featured the work of the Autism Awareness Campaign UK to mark the first ever United Nations World Autism Awareness Day on Wednesday 2nd April.

Please see the GMTV article:

http://www.gm.tv/index.cfm?articleid=28952

Ivan Corea
Head of the Autism Awareness Campaign UK

The Autism Awareness Campaign UK welcomes the launch of the first ever United Nations World Autism Awareness Day on Wednesday 2nd April 2008 declared by the United Nations General Assembly. We are delighted that Qatar backed this resolution and that the Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon has had the vision to see this through. We wanted to commend the UNSG and the United Nations General Assembly for raising the profile of the serious issues connected with autism. In the UK there are over 500,000 people with autism - they too need support and better public serices in education, health, specialist speech therapy and respite care. We want to commend Her Majesty's Government for creating a positive climate where autism is concerned but more needs to be done - we need a national strategy for autism in the UK and a 10 year plan of action on autism and Asperger's Syndrome.

The Autism Awareness Campaign UK is callinG for -

The Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon to support a WORLD AUTISM STRATEGY.

We are urging the UNSG and the UNGA to convene a United Nations Conference on Autism in 2009 and for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to connect with world leaders on the urgent needs of parents, carers, children and adults with autism and Asperger's Syndrome.

We are asking the UNSG and the UNGA to reach out to the poor - there are millions of families with autism who are below the poverty line in the Third World, especially in Africa and Asia. Many have no access to a basic education or health care. Sometimes autism is confused with mental illness and children with autism are kept at home out of sight.

Now is the time for action on autism on a global scale. There are 60 million people with autism around the world and they need help and support. We are calling for UN agencies such as UNICEF and the UNDP and Her Majesty's Government's own DFID - to help children with autism in Africa and Asia receive an education and support. They have so much potential - that is their human right. We appeal to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to support parents, carers,children and adults with autism and Asperger's Syndrome around the world. Let's work together, in every nation, to make this a reality.

Here is the message of the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to mark the first ever UN World Autism Awareness Day:

'Today, the world marks the first commemoration of World Autism Awareness Day. I commend this important initiative spearheaded by the State of Qatar, and applaud the leadership of Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned, the Consort of His Highness the Emir of Qatar, in raising awareness about children with developmental disabilities. Her Highness's vision and initiatives have helped to empower children with disabilities and their communities in the Arab region and worldwide.

On this day, the United Nations reaffirms its commitment to the rights and well-being of people with disabilities -- a commitment rooted in our fundamental principle of universal human rights for all. Throughout its history, the United Nations family has promoted the rights and well-being of the disabled, including children with developmental disabilities.

It is especially fitting that this inaugural Day falls in 2008 -- the year in which we celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the United Nations Declaration for Human Rights, and expect to see the entry into force of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, adopted by the General Assembly in 2006.

As we advance the universal human rights of children with disabilities, let us focus on building enabling environments for them to prosper as future members of their communities, citizens of their countries and as fully-fledged members of the global community. Let us pay tribute to the courage of children with autism and their families, as they strive every day to confront the disability with a powerful combination of determination, creativity and hope. Let us empower them and respond to their needs today, so as to make our societies more accessible, enabling and empowering for all our children tomorrow. '

Blogger News Network on the United Nations World Autism Awareness day:
http://www.bloggernews.net/114686

The United Nations General Assembly in New York has declared Wednesday 2nd April 2008 as the first ever World Autism Awareness Day. This is a historic occasion and the actual idea of having a World Autism Day came from the State of Qatar. Baroness Uddin recently congratulated Qatar in a major debate on autism in the House of Lords in the Palace of Westminster on Wednesday 19th March. The highly influential Lady Uddin also created history by being the first Peer to mention the United Nations World Autism Awareness Day in the UK Parliament. The autism debate in London was called for by leading peer Lord Ken Maginnis. Peers from all parties backed the call for a national strategy on autism in the United Kingdom.

The Autism Awareness Campaign UK has been calling for national strategy on autism and a 10 year plan of action on autism and Asperger’s Syndrome in the UK to include building autism units in mainstream schools, keeping special schools open, building specialist autism schools, more training on autism for classroom teachers and assistants, further education and higher education opportunities, an autism compact with employers enabling people with autism and Asperger’s Syndrome to access the world of work and a debate on autism and the elderly - who will look after them when they grow old?

Campaigners are also calling for a global drive to tackle the serious education and health issues connected with autism and Asperger’s Syndrome. The United Nations is well placed to take the international agenda on autism forward and the United Nations Secretary-General is in a unique position to connect with world leaders on the subject of autism.He has the influence and political clout to make a difference - particularly for the poor.

The World Bank definition of extreme poverty places people living in poverty as living on less than US$ 1 per day, and moderate poverty as less than $2 a day, estimating that in 2001, 1.1 billion people had consumption levels below $1 a day and 2.7 billion lived on less than $2 a day.

There are many families with autism who are living below the poverty line - the Autism Awareness Campaign UK is urging the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the UN General Assembly to look into issues of poverty and autism. Many children with autism do not have access to a basic education, a fundamental human right. Autism is confused with mental illness - due to issues relationg to culture, children with autism are kept at home, hidden - they do not have the life chances of others in terms of going to school and accessing health care - there are very few specialist speech therapists and many parents and carers have virtually no respite care. Teachers and medical professionals in the Third World need training on autism and Asperger’s Syndrome. Autism Centres need to be built - the dissemination of information is vital, so is early intervention.

The UK based Autism Awareness Campaign is now calling on the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to launch a world autism strategy. The task is so huge, campaigners are hoping that the first ever World Autism Awareness Day will focus attention on to the desperate needs of parents, carers, children and adults with autism and Asperger’s Syndrome in the Third World. UN Agencies such as UNICEF and the UNDP have a key role to play within a world autism strategy so has the UK Government’s DFID. There needs to be partnership working on a massive scale - no one organisation can tackle autism in isolation. The UN must set up a consultation process with autism organisations, parents groups and charities in every country.

The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon needs to provide leadership and persuade world leaders even in the Third World to take matters relating to autism and Asperger’s Syndrome seriously. Campaigners are asking the UN General Assembly to back the call for a United Nations Conference on Autism in 2009. The United Nations could make a huge difference when it comes to addressing the needs of people with autism around the world.

By Ivan Corea
Head of the Autism Awareness Campaign UK

It's history in the making.....the United Nations General Assembly in New York has declared Wednesday 2nd April 2008 as World Autism Awareness Day. This is the first ever World Autism Day and we certainly have to thank Qatar for proposing this day and seeing it through.

This is a historic moment at the United Nations. General Assembly officials have told me that it is being taken seriously, it will probarbly be announced at the UN General Assembly and a report will be issued after 2nd April.

In our hi-tech world the message has been flashed all over the globe via Facebbook and within a few weeks facebookers all over the world are organising awareness raising events as far afield as Indonesia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Canada........this is great news.....autism is a very serious education and health issue around the world....there are 60 million people with autism and numbers are rising.

Here in the UK there are over 500,000 people with autism. According to UK researchers 1 in 100 children may have autism. In 10 years time there could be well over a million people with autism hence our call to Prime Minister Gordon Brown to back a national strategy on autism and a 10 year plan of action on autism and Asperger's Syndrome.

The Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon is well placed to take the autism agenda forward across the globe. If there are 60 million people with autism around the world how are parents, carers, children and adults with autism and Asperger's Syndrome surving in the Third World? Who is looking after the interests of the poor?

The Autism Awareness Campaign UK is urging the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to come up with a world strategy on autism and reach out to those who are below the poverty line in the Third World. They desperately need help. Teachers need training on autism and Asperger's Syndrome; there really needs to be specialist autism schools, employment schemes, help for the elderly, respite care, specialist speech therapy, more sheltered accommodation for people with autism and Asperger's Syndrome.

United Nations agencies must reach out to parents, carers, children and adults with autism and Asperger's Syndrome around the world. Early intervention is key - children with autism in Africa and Asia and parts of South America have a human right to a wold class education. At the moment they are not having access to even a basic education. Because of culture some children are kept at home out of sight. Autism is also confused with mental illness. We need to raise more awareness - these children have so much potential, so do the adults. World leaders need to harness that potential.

The first ever World Autism Awareness Day affords the opportunity for people in every country to raise awareness about autism and Asperger's Syndrome and raise funds for autism organisations and parent groups. Lets hope that the United Nations World Autism Day will be a call to genuine action on autism around the globe.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has the political clout to raise the serious education and health issues with world leaders. Leaders of the G8 countries need to reach out to all people with autism and Asperger's syndrome in the Third World. Let us hope and pray that the 2nd of April will be a start.....

"

The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2nd April as World Autism Awareness Day on the recommendation of Qatar. In the House of Commons in the Palace of Westminster in London MPs of all parties are signing an early day motion on the song for autism 'Open Every Door' which will be released for the UN World Autism Day.

MPs have congratulated the distinguished Sri Lanka born singer song writer Nimal Mendis who composed and sang 'Open Every Door' the song for autism.

Andrew Love MP's early day motion 999 on autism reads:
The early day motion on 'Open Every Door,' reads:

'That this House welcomes the re-release of the song for autism Open Every Door by Media Eye Music in London and recently played over the airwaves of the BBC and other UK radio stations, which was written by the distinguished Sri Lanka born singer/songwriter Nimal Mendis and sung by the Birmingham-based musician Rozagy, who has Asperger's syndrome; notes that Open Every Door was written about a 12 year old British boy with autism, Charin Corea, who inspired his parents to launch the Autism Awareness Campaign in the United Kingdom; congratulates an ambassador for autism, the South Asian singer Gresha Schuilling who will release Open Every Door for World Autism Awareness Day designated by the United Nations on 2nd April 2008; and calls on the Prime Minister to open every door to every child and adult with autism and Asperger's syndrome in the UK by providing them with better public services in education, health, specialist speech therapy and respite care and providing equality of opportunity, in order for them to play their role in society.... '

For information on 'Open Every Door,' the song for autism please see:
http://www.mediaeyeproductions.com

The House of Commons Early Day Motion 999 on Open Every Door:
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=35197&SESSION=891