A Hong Kong non-profit organisation has announced a landmark collaboration to promote World Autism Awareness Day in the city.
The partnership brings together the fledgling Hong Kong Autism Institute (HKAI) with the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia and Special Olympics East Asia (SOEA) to promote the observance of the day in Hong Kong. Created by the United Nations in 2007, World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) aims to raise awareness about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) while advocating acceptance, inclusion and quality of life for autistic individuals.
“Autism is one of the defining conditions of our times, impacting 1 in 40 children in the Hong Kong SAR and more than 2 million children in mainland China,” Damien Green, founder of HKAI, said in a statement. “Crucially, autism has now overtaken cancer as the leading cause of juvenile critical illness insurance claims in the Hong Kong SAR.”
The former insurance company executive has emerged as a prominent advocate for ASD stakeholders in the city. Green hopes this collaboration will “significantly elevate autism awareness and understanding amongst opinion leaders and policymakers in the region.”
“Autism brings as many opportunities as it does challenges for societies and economies,” said Professor Shahbaz Khan, director and representative of the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia, who also chairs the United Nations Theme Group on Disability in China. Khan emphasized how the collaboration could help move Hong Kong closer to “ensuring persons with autism are present and included in education, sport, work and community life.”
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“That inclusion benefits everyone, and it must be shaped with autistic voices and lived experience at the center,” he added.
Freda Fung, regional president and managing director of SOEA, spoke to the “transformative impact” of inclusion for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism. “Through sports, inclusive community engagement, and leadership opportunities, individuals can build confidence, develop a strong sense of belonging, and emerge as leaders within their communities,” she said in a statement.
Some will step up as part of WAAD 2026 in Hong Kong, which will feature speakers and panellists with autism engaging directly with an audience of opinion leaders, policymakers and key stakeholders.
Carlson Tong, chairman and independent non-executive director of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) will deliver welcoming remarks at the plenary event. The schedule also includes the launch of an autism docuseries made in the city and other awareness events conducted by major Hong Kong employers.
