To mark the 10th World Autism Awareness Day designated by the United Nations and raise public awareness about and support for people with autism, a large public service event named “Lighting Blue Lamps and Guarding with Love” was launched on April 1, 2017. The activity was hosted by CSCLF and organized by Beijing Xinxiwang Rehabilitation Center for Autistic People.
This event includes online and offline sections. China Disabled Persons’ Federation, Beijing Normal University, China Team of China Football Association, Chinese Football Association Super League, Chinese Football Association Cup, Reading-China and other philanthropic institutions participated in the offline activity, demonstrating current situation of awareness about autism, lighting blue lamps for autistic children and donating treatment time. A relay of love was conducted via new media like WeChat and Weibo to encourage people to care about and accept people with autism. Actions were taken to improve life quality of autistic children.
At the event
At the event
Blue lamps illuminate road to future
April 2 of 2017 is the tenth “World Autism Awareness Day”. Today, people with autism are receiving more attention. Big data offers a new perspective to understand autism. At the activity, the CSCLF’s autism fund teamed up with toutiao.com to interpret autism based on the reading habit of 600 million users.
Experts analyze big data of autism
Launch an activity to raise treatment time for autistic children
Representatives from public welfare, academic, general and special education communities jointly lit blue lamps
Unlike previous years, guests were invited to light up animation blue lights through touching the screen. They were appealing to the society to paying attention to and fairly treating autistic individuals in an eco-friendly manner.
In addition, Ma Yanhui, vice president of the fifth presidium of China Disabled Persons’ Federation, joined hands with experts in autism to raise treatment time for autistic children. According to the number of animation blue lights, experts will spend their time on helping autistic children in rehabilitation training. This move is also aimed to call for more rehabilitation centers and the society to care for these children. Hopefully, these actions can truly guard autistic children and their families.
Guarding children’s innocent world with love
According to statistics in 2016, China has a 10-million population with autism, and 2 million of them are children. The number is growing by nearly 200,000 annually. Professor Deng Meng, an expert in special education for autistic people from Beijing Normal University, said China should spend more time and resources, such as ideology, professional rehabilitation resources and teaching resources, helping autistic patients’ living and growth conditions.
“I used to think we should spare no efforts to help him behave just as ordinary people. But I gradually realize that he has his own communication method. Forcing him to perform ‘normally’ misled him.” A mother of an autistic child said, “he needs no sympathy, but understanding and guidance. Fortunately, we chose to help him grow up by going with his ways. We did nothing but hold on.”
Persistence results in progress. Paintings of autistic people show their inner world to others. Two autistic children sang Little Stars with students from Yuying Primary School moved all guests.
Paintings of autistic children
Paintings of autistic children
Autistic children sang together with students from Yuying Primary School
Not only autistic patients are on the fight. China Football Industry Development Corp. and Chinese Football Association Super League also brought blessing and gifts to them. The athlete spirit will empower these children and their parents, convincing them that the whole society is caring for their growth.
Group photo
Ways to participate in online activities
Via Weibo: From March 31 to April 3, repost CSCLF’s H5 weibo themed by “lighting animation blue lights”, or make a video sending good wishes to autistic children and then @CSCLF with a tag #Lighting Blue Lamps and Embracing the Future#, calling for public attention to children with autism. (Click to view the Weibo)
Via WeChat: From March 31 to April 3, repost the H5 activity webpage of “lighting animation blue lights”. For each 1,000 blue lights, a professional therapist offers one hour of professional service to autistic children. (Click to view the activity page)
Scan QR code to follow CSCLF’s official WeChat account
Background information
World Autism Awareness Day
In December 2017, a United Nations General Assembly resolution that April 2 is designated as the World Autism Awareness Day since 2008 was passed, aiming to enhance people’s awareness, related studies and diagnoses about autism and patients. The World Autism Awareness Day reminds us of the importance of mutual respect, understanding and care between ordinary people and autistic patients.
CSCLF’s Autism Fund
Since its founding in April 1982, the CSCLF has been committed to the growth of children adhering to China’s Honorary President Madame Song Ching Ling’s will to create a better future. In April 2015, CSCLF teamed up with Beijing Xinxiwang Rehabilitation Center to set up the Autism Fund so as to raise public concern for children with autism. Funds raised from all quarters of the society are used to treat autistic children, popularize knowledge on autism, train medical staff, support and encourage patients’ families. In this way, we hope to appeal for more care and tolerance for autistic children and their families.
Big data on autism
On the occasion of the tenth “World Autism Awareness Day”, toutiao.com’s computing center and parenting channel made the most of their big data resources, working together with the CSCLF to unveil mysteries about autism to tens of millions of people. Based on the reading habits of its 78 million active users, toutiao.com, a search engine featuring personalized recommendation, sought for every user group concerned about the society and vulnerable groups through data mining, screening, user portrait recognition and other big data processing methods.
(Source: Fund department)
