The Dubai Autism Centre has concluded its 19th annual Autism Awareness Campaign, launched in early April under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai.

Marking the conclusion of the campaign, the Dubai Autism Centre announced the opening of the region’s first Arabic-language podcast studio that aims to broaden understanding and encourage meaningful conversations about autism in the Arab world.

Commenting on the initiative, Mohammed Al Emadi, Director General and Board Member of the Dubai Autism Center, stated, “This achievement crowns a series of initiatives and events organised by the Centre throughout April in alignment with the goals of the ‘Year of the Community.’ The launch of this podcast studio marks a significant milestone in our efforts to raise public awareness around autism. Through this platform, we aim to amplify the voices of individuals with autism, their families, and caregivers, especially across the Arab world, highlighting their stories and experiences to help build a more inclusive and understanding society.” On this occasion, Al Emadi expressed his sincere gratitude to OP3 Design for their contributions to designing, building, and sponsoring the studio.

He also announced that the first episode of the podcast would be hosted by Joyce Chamoun, Business Development Manager at the Dubai Autism Centre. Charles Chang, Managing Director of OP3 Design, commented, “We are proud to partner with the Dubai Autism Centre on this pioneering project. At OP3, we believe design can be a tool for positive change, and this studio is a living example—providing a space for expression, engagement, and community dialogue.”

Regarding the campaign's key outcomes, Al Emadi explained that this year’s campaign featured weekly in-person and virtual awareness workshops that reached 673 public and 509 private schools across the UAE. Additionally, educational lectures targeted around 1,500 employees from various public and private sector institutions. The Community Awareness Team from the Centre also participated in key forums and panel discussions on current autism-related topics, including events hosted by the Dubai Health Authority and Abu Dhabi University.

The campaign also included the announcement of a new group of autism-friendly destinations in Dubai, notably the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library, Union Coop, and Mercato Mall, each of which received the Autism-Friendly Certificate (AFC). This initiative reflects a strong commitment by these organisations to integration and sustainability, and supports the “My Community… A City for Everyone” initiative aimed at transforming Dubai into a model city that is friendly to people of determination by providing enabling environments that foster their full participation in society. According to Al Emadi, the campaign received widespread engagement across digital media platforms, with the campaign message displayed on over 3,150 internal and external digital screens across the country. This included displays in Dubai Metro and RTA bus stations, ENOC fuel stations, shopping malls, as well as in Novo Cinemas and on Zee satellite channels in both Arabic and English.

As part of the family support activities organised during the campaign, the centre offered free early screening and comprehensive assessment sessions for children with autism and developmental disorders. In addition, the centre released a new guidebook for families and educators titled “Managing Behavioural Challenges in Children with Autism,” designed to equip parents and professionals with the knowledge and tools necessary to understand the causes of different behaviours and apply effective strategies to support children on the spectrum.

Students from the Dubai Autism Centre also took part in several events during the campaign, most notably the 9th Abu Dhabi University Autism Art Competition, where 16 students from the centre submitted their artworks. Six students won first place, in addition to second, third, and fifth place awards. Since its founding, the Dubai Autism Centre has sought to enhance community awareness of autism, not only by raising awareness of its symptoms but also by introducing individuals and institutions to the requirements for appropriate dealing with people with autism.

Leading the charge is their annual autism awareness campaign, which has been running since 2006. They strategically launch it each year on World Autism Awareness Day, which falls on April 2nd. The Dubai Autism Center was established in 2001 by a decree of the Ruler of Dubai as the first Emirati non-profit organisation in UAE that aims to provide integrated consulting, educational, and specialised therapeutic services in the field of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

As per Decree No. 26 of 2021, one of the Centre’s main objectives is to contribute to making the Emirate of Dubai a global leading hub in the field of providing approved special education programmes and specialised rehabilitative treatment services for people diagnosed with ASD.