Baku, April 3, AZERTAC
World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD), celebrated each year on April 2, was adopted by the United Nations in 2007 to shine a bright light on autism as a growing global health crisis throughout the world.
The day itself brings individual autism organizations together all around the world to aid in things like research, diagnoses, treatment, and overall acceptance for those with this neurological variance. Following an adoption of a resolution declaring the 2nd of April as World Autism Awareness Day by the United Nations, the world-famous “Autism Speaks” Center began to implement “Light it up Blue” project dedicated to World Autism Awareness Day. Annually on or around 2 April landmark buildings across the world are lit up blue in celebration of World Autism Awareness Day to raise awareness and acceptance of autism, as well as to improve the lives of people living with autism. At present “Light it up Blue” project covers 6 continents, 136 countries and 600 cities. For the first time the project was started in 2010 in USA.
Supported by Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the United Nations International Children`s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Azerbaijan joined to this project on World Autism Day in 2012. In 2016, World Autism Day was marked in Azerbaijan with a participation of a number of governmental and non-governmental organizations. On 2 April “Flame Towers” in Baku was lit up blue. The Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society has organized a number of events.
Autism is a developmental disability that affects the brain functions of an individual. Individuals with autism often find social interaction to be difficult or near impossible, have problems with both non-verbal and verbal communication, have a limited number of activities they engage in or a limited number of interests and may demonstrate repetitive or restrictive behavior. This disorder affects males and females of all races in all parts of the world.