Sharjah, April 15th 2009:

Over 400 participants join Autism Walkathon with aims to show support to autistic children.

Al Qasba Development Authority has announced today, April 26, the successful conclusion of the ‘Autism Awareness Week’, a weeklong event which was aimed at raising awareness about Autism. Organized in collaboration with Dubai Autism Centre, the event managed to raise a notable amount of donations which will be funded to support Autism Centers in the country. In addition, the closing day of the event hosted an Autism Walkathon which witnessed an ample participation from over 400 people from various community segments.

Warming up on the beats of Dubai Drums, participants marched at 10 am starting from Al Qasba bridge all the way to Al Fardan bridge and back again to Al Qasba block where they enjoyed the guitar music of Artist Kamal Musalem in a joyful, musical atmosphere. After the walk, officials at Al Qasba handed certificates to the participants who won valuable prizes through the raffles draw that was organized. Finally, all participants enjoyed a warm gathering lunch and had the chance to communicate closely with the children.

Commenting on the event, Dina Al Nakhi, Events Manager at Al Qasba Development Authority, said:
“We are thankful to all participants who supported us in expressing our care and love to the children and the cause. Our aim was to show the children that we are there for them and we will work closely with concerned parties in order to support the medical researches and treatments needed. I would like to thank everyone who contributed in the success of the event and we are looking forward to organizing more events to support critical causes.”

Following the World Autism Awareness Day on April 2 5 , Al Qasba’s Autism Awareness Week aimed to promote a nation-wide awareness of autism and the challenges facing autistic children. The seven-day event included a rich program offering valuable information, entertainment activities, and workshops. Furthermore, Dubai Autism Center held several seminars at the decorated Tent in Al Qasba and contributed effectively in communicating with the concerned parties and in spreading the message.

The event which took place from April 19-25 was sponsored by Etisalat, Bridgestone - Nasser Bin Abdulatif Al Serkal, Panasonic, Extra Extra Mini Mart, K&G Productions, Mermaid Digital, Time Out, Bunyan Group, and Digital World.