Celebrities help raise autism awareness in China
By Chen Boyuan
Original, china.org.cn / chinagate.cn, 04-05-2016
Sports champions and artists gathered at the Olympic Forest Park in Beijing on Friday to help raise concern for autistic children in China, one day ahead of the World Autism Awareness Day that falls on April 2 every year.
These celebrities participated in a 5-kilometer fitness walk after viewing paintings by autistic children and stage performances by students, including those suffering from autism. The campaign was jointly organized by China Soong Ching Ling Foundation (CSCLF), a national organization named after the late Madame Dr. Sun Yat-sen, and the Xingxiwang (star hope) Autism Rehabilitation Center.
Autism is a congenital neurodevelopmental disorder that impairs a child's development in both social interaction and non-verbal communication. Restricted and repetitive behavior are also characteristic of the disease.
In China, autistic children are called "children of the stars" because their unsteady attention and behaviors in some way resemble the flicker of distant stars. Autism is estimated to affect at least 1.6 million people in China; the number was projected to be 21.7 million in2013, according to a research study, the "Global Burden of Disease Study 2013 Collaborators" published in the Lancet in 2015.
Representing the co-organizer, Jing Dunquan, vice chairman of the CSCLF, said the foundation seeks to "attract a greater awareness of autism," including that to autistic children and their families. He encouraged families of autistic children to persist in treatment and to help autistic children better integrate into society.
Ye Qiaobo, a Chinese female speed skater, along with her peer sports champions, brought gifts to autistic children as encouragement for their efforts. "As long as you keep hoping and don't give up, everyone will eventually get their own medal," she said.
Ye said she has participated in many community activities organized by the national sports governing body for autism awareness in Beijing. While acknowledging that autism is yet incurable, as its pathology is still unknown, Ye confirmed that, according to her own knowledge accumulated from visits to autism rehabilitation centers, early intervention that places children under rehabilitation during 2-6 years of age could be the "best chance" to ease the symptoms.
Her peer Qian Hong, a swimming gold medalist at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, hoped that society can properly face the community of autism so that more love and care will go to autistic children and their families.
"Autistic children suffer loneliness that others are often unable to relate to. We hope our love and sportsmanship can warm the hearts of these 'children of the stars,'" said Qian.
The headmistress of the Zhongguancun Middle School, Su Shu, was also part of the campaign. She said that her school advocates "fusion education" in that every individual receives full respect, and every student has the right to fully display his or her features.
"Getting special children to walk out of their reclusive world to integrate into mainstream education answers the call of equality in the core value of education. It is an adherence to the essence of education," said Su, who pledged full contribution to the education of the "children of the stars."
China officially categorized autism as a mental disability in 2006, and began providing social security assistance to autistic people accordingly. The United Nations passed the World Autism Awareness Day one year later, encouraging its member states to raise awareness of autistic children around the world.
The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called for "advancing the rights of individuals with autism and ensuring their full participation and inclusion as valued members of our diverse human family who can contribute to a future of dignity and opportunity for all."
Elaborating this year's theme of "Autism and the 2030 Agenda: Inclusion and Neurodiversity," Ban's message serves as an encouragement for all UN member states to properly regard autism, similar to other forms of disability, as part of human diversity, so as to eliminate discrimination and inequality against autism.
By Chen Boyuan
Original, china.org.cn / chinagate.cn, 04-05-2016
Sports champions and artists gathered at the Olympic Forest Park in Beijing on Friday to help raise concern for autistic children in China, one day ahead of the World Autism Awareness Day that falls on April 2 every year.
These celebrities participated in a 5-kilometer fitness walk after viewing paintings by autistic children and stage performances by students, including those suffering from autism. The campaign was jointly organized by China Soong Ching Ling Foundation (CSCLF), a national organization named after the late Madame Dr. Sun Yat-sen, and the Xingxiwang (star hope) Autism Rehabilitation Center.
Autism is a congenital neurodevelopmental disorder that impairs a child's development in both social interaction and non-verbal communication. Restricted and repetitive behavior are also characteristic of the disease.
In China, autistic children are called "children of the stars" because their unsteady attention and behaviors in some way resemble the flicker of distant stars. Autism is estimated to affect at least 1.6 million people in China; the number was projected to be 21.7 million in2013, according to a research study, the "Global Burden of Disease Study 2013 Collaborators" published in the Lancet in 2015.
Representing the co-organizer, Jing Dunquan, vice chairman of the CSCLF, said the foundation seeks to "attract a greater awareness of autism," including that to autistic children and their families. He encouraged families of autistic children to persist in treatment and to help autistic children better integrate into society.
Ye Qiaobo, a Chinese female speed skater, along with her peer sports champions, brought gifts to autistic children as encouragement for their efforts. "As long as you keep hoping and don't give up, everyone will eventually get their own medal," she said.
Ye said she has participated in many community activities organized by the national sports governing body for autism awareness in Beijing. While acknowledging that autism is yet incurable, as its pathology is still unknown, Ye confirmed that, according to her own knowledge accumulated from visits to autism rehabilitation centers, early intervention that places children under rehabilitation during 2-6 years of age could be the "best chance" to ease the symptoms.
Her peer Qian Hong, a swimming gold medalist at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, hoped that society can properly face the community of autism so that more love and care will go to autistic children and their families.
"Autistic children suffer loneliness that others are often unable to relate to. We hope our love and sportsmanship can warm the hearts of these 'children of the stars,'" said Qian.
The headmistress of the Zhongguancun Middle School, Su Shu, was also part of the campaign. She said that her school advocates "fusion education" in that every individual receives full respect, and every student has the right to fully display his or her features.
"Getting special children to walk out of their reclusive world to integrate into mainstream education answers the call of equality in the core value of education. It is an adherence to the essence of education," said Su, who pledged full contribution to the education of the "children of the stars."
China officially categorized autism as a mental disability in 2006, and began providing social security assistance to autistic people accordingly. The United Nations passed the World Autism Awareness Day one year later, encouraging its member states to raise awareness of autistic children around the world.
The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called for "advancing the rights of individuals with autism and ensuring their full participation and inclusion as valued members of our diverse human family who can contribute to a future of dignity and opportunity for all."
Elaborating this year's theme of "Autism and the 2030 Agenda: Inclusion and Neurodiversity," Ban's message serves as an encouragement for all UN member states to properly regard autism, similar to other forms of disability, as part of human diversity, so as to eliminate discrimination and inequality against autism.
