Al Qasba, Sharjah’s premier tourist, cultural and family destination, will be hosting an art exhibition for Sharjah Autism Centre’s students on 2 – 3 April, 2019, which will be held in conjunction with the World Autism Awareness Day. The exhibition that is being hosted in collaboration with the Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services (SCHS), aims to raise awareness among community members on the capabilities and talents of autistic children, as well as the importance of empowering them and furthering their positive engagement in the community.

Al Qasba will host the exhibition in line with Sharjah’s vision that seeks to provide a safe and healthy environment that respects the rights of children and young adults in alignment with its Child Friendly City accreditation. It implements initiatives and programmes aimed at ensuring children’s participation in the development process.

The exhibition features 30 artworks submitted by 30 children with autism, from 10:00 a.m. to 08:00 p.m. in Block (E) at Al Qasba. The exhibition is open to all visitors.

On the sidelines of the exhibition, children with autism along with their families will participate in an array of activities and interactive workshops. Parents will also share their experiences in helping their autistic children to develop their talents and skills.

Khuloud Salim Al Junaibi, General Manager of Al Qasba, said: “We are hosting  this exhibition as part of our social responsibility and our role in raising awareness among parents and the community on the importance of supporting children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and ensuring their full integration in the community to nurture their talents and communication skills, in order to improve the quality of their lives. It also highlights the importance of launching programmes and delivering services to autistic people”.

“The World Autism Awareness Day is an ideal opportunity to raise awareness on the role of art in understanding autism. Children’s artworks serve as a way to express their ideas and emotions, and this underscores art’s therapeutic role, as it enables us to understand some aspects of their lives. According to psychoanalysis, art can be instrumental in inculcating positive behavioural changes in children”,, she added.

The World Autism Awareness Day, was designated by the United Nations General Assembly on 18 December 2007. Commemorating this day, Al Junaibi, commended UAE’s efforts in this direction, which offers premium services to children with autism, including specialised care centre for autism.