Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – The Rosewood Hotel and Jeddah Autism Centre recently held a event in order to raise awareness of autism spectrum disorder throughout the kingdom.
The 90 minute event, which boasted 100 participants wearing blue t-shirts and badges, took place along the Jeddah Corniche however halfway through the ride, the group opted to take a moment to release blue balloons in honour of Autism Speaks’ Light it Up Blue 2015 campaign. The goal of the activity was ultimately to raise awareness of ASD as many individuals in the community are reportedly unfamiliar with the disorder and the effect that it has on families that have been impacted by it. Mohammed Ali Maghrebi, head of the Jeddah Autism Centre, asserts:
“Autism is still a relatively unknown condition in the kingdom which is why raising awareness is so important.”
The event was thus held during Autism Awareness Month and it, along with numerous activities that take place in April throughout the globe, was subsequently intended to foster both compassion and knowledge amongst members of the community. Maghrebi believes that in doing so, individuals and families who have been affected by the disorder are more likely to be provided with the support and understanding that they desperately need.
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