The Autism Awareness Campaign – United Kingdom was launched in 2000 by Ivan and Charika Corea in response to the autism diagnosis of their son, Charin.
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According to their website, Autism Awareness Campaign – United Kingdom was started in 2000 "to campaign on behalf of parents, carers, children and adults with autism and Asperger's syndrome, for better public services in health, education, specialist speech therapy and respite care; for independent research into the causes of autism; for greater public awareness on Autism and Asperger's Syndrome", as well as other areas where they believe there is a shortfall in public-service provision.[1] They have lobbied for greater awareness of the condition and for independent research on the causes of autism.[2]
The Autism Awareness Campaign of 2002 initiated debates in the Parliament of the UK and the Scottish Parliament for Autism Awareness Year, supported by organisations including the British Institute of Brain Injured Children, The Disabilities Trust, and the National Autistic Society.[3] A major conference on autism was held at the King's Fund in London and a service for autism was held at St Paul's Cathedral.
The Autism Awareness Campaign helped raise awareness about the condition in 2007 in the British House of Commons when Lee Scott, MP for Ilford North, brought a debate on autistic children.[4]
Ivan Corea met with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Tony Blair and Lee Scott MP in April 2007. He presented the Prime Minister with a report calling for a national strategy on autism and a 10-year plan of action in the UK.[5] The call for an urgent review on autism services was supported by leading British charities and community organisations including faith communities.[6] Parliamentarians signed an early day motion on autism (EDM 1359) backing the call for a national strategy on autism and change in policy for people with autism and Asperger syndrome.[7] Ivan Corea met with the British Prime Minister-in-Waiting, Gordon Brown in June 2007 to urge him to launch the national strategy and 10-year plan on autism,[8] particularly in building state-of-the-art autism schools.[9]
The Autism Awareness Campaign UK were involved in the first United Nations World Autism Awareness Day, declared by the UN General Assembly on Wednesday 2 April 2008 on the recommendation of the State of Qatar.
The campaign called on the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon to launch a world autism strategy, convene a United Nations Autism Conference in 2009 to engage with world leaders on autism and for UN agencies such as UNICEF and UNDP to reach out and help families with autism in the Third World who are below the poverty line – particularly in Africa and Asia.
Ivan Corea announced on CNN and GMTV that an international organisation is being set up called the UK Autism Foundation, to build a state-of-the-art Autism Centre in London and to launch initiatives to help the poor. The UK Autism Foundation will lobby for real and lasting change for parents, carers, children and adults with autism and Asperger syndrome. The UK Autism Foundation is committed to the poor - there are many more families with autism below the poverty line as a result of the global economic downturn ands recession which struck many nations in 2008.
The CNN interview with presenter Max Foster was televised to mark World Autism Awareness Day on 2 April 2008.[10] International coverage about the Autism Awareness Campaign UK was also given on Associated Press and the campaigners received national coverage in the United Kingdom.[11]
The campaigners released a film to mark the United Nations World Autism Awareness Day with British peer the Baroness Uddin in the House of Lords.Open Every Door, written by the award winning Sri Lanka-born singer and songwriter, Nimal Mendis,was aired on the UN World Autism Awareness Day by CNN.
London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic bid
Lord Coe appointed Ivan Corea as a London 2012 Olympic bid Ambassador; the Autism Awareness Campaign UK were fully involved with the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic bid.[12][13]
Concert for Autism
On the 18th October 2008,British musicians Jon Sterry, Ash Gilbody, Alex Butters and Alan Enston with support from a young band, The Badgers, helped to raise money and awareness of the UK Autism Foundation by holding a concert. The Chief guests at the music event were Councillor Alan Weinberg and Mrs Weinberg. The councillor is the leader of the council of the London Borough of Redbridge.[14]