On Friday, April 5th, during the business meeting, we were fortunate to have the participation of Marcos Zamora, the General Director of Autismo Sevilla. His participation was particularly significant as it coincided with World Autism Awareness Day (April 2nd). During his presentation, Marcos shared impactful data about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), such as the fact that ASD affects 1% of the population in Spain. It is concerning to think that 90% of people with ASD are unemployed, and 50% experience bullying in their educational journey.
Founded in 1997, Autismo Sevilla’s main mission is to improve the quality of life for children with autism and their families. Among its activities, Autismo Sevilla focuses on awareness, social impact, advocacy, and specialized services for individuals and families affected by ASD. Autismo Sevilla serves more than 800 people and has over 2300 trained professionals and 100 committed volunteers.
And what can we do individually to support people with ASD? Marcos emphasized the importance of specialized training and raising awareness among the general population. We should strive to understand the social world surrounding individuals with autism, adapting environments, and reducing socio-communicative barriers.
In this regard, the ITURRI Foundation has taken an important step. Through financial donations, it has collaborated in the development of the BBMiradas program, which focuses on monitoring the development, detection, and early intervention of autism in babies aged 4 to 36 months using eye-tracking technology. BBMiradas aims to identify early warning signs in social and communicative development and facilitate access to specialized early intervention.
Marcos concluded his presentation with a sensitization video about autism, under the motto #AutismoCercaDeTi (Autism Close to You), which highlights the diversity within the Autism Spectrum Disorder. We encourage you to learn more about ASD and share your knowledge with your colleagues. For further information, you can consult the following sources:
