Photo of participants at event on the theme “Toward Autonomy and Self-Determination”. Photo of participants at event on the theme “Toward Autonomy and Self-Determination”.
Participants at a special event on the theme “Toward Autonomy and Self-Determination”, held in observance of World Autism Awareness Day. 缅北禁地Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Events in 2015

“Employment: The Autism Advantage”

Thursday, 2 April 2015, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
United Nations Headquarters, Conference Room 4

The launch of a Call to Action inviting business to make concrete commitments to employ persons with autism took place at an event entitled “Employment: The Autism Advantage” in observance of World Autism Awareness Day on Thursday, 2 April 2015.

Speakers included Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Governor Jack Markell of Delaware, and business executives from Ernst & Young, Freddie Mac, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, SAP and more. Bill Blakemore, award winning correspondent with ABC News, moderated.

The 2015 observance of World Autism Awareness Day was organized by the United Nations Department of Public Information and the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, in cooperation with The Specialist People Foundation, with the support of the United Nations Global Compact. The event was co-sponsored by the Permanent Missions of Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Denmark, Israel, the Republic of Korea, Peru, Poland and Sri Lanka to the United Nations.

The event focused on measures required to support growth in employment opportunities for people on the autism spectrum. The intention was to demonstrate that people with autism can be valued employees for employers who understand their unique and often exceptional skills, as well as what it takes to create work environments where people with autism can excel.

or click on each speaker below to see a clip of their presentation.

10:00 a.m. Welcome and Opening

  • , Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, United Nations
  • , Secretary-General of the United Nations
  • H.E. Mr. , Vice President of the General Assembly
  • Keynote: “A Better Bottom Line“ – , Governor of Delaware
  • Moderator, and , award-winning news correspondent

10:30 a.m. Session 1: Setting the Scene

  • , Founder, Specialist People Foundation
  • , Syracuse University
  • , Director, Action For Autism and National Centre for Autism, India
  • , Senior Counsel, U.S. Council for International Business; U.S. employer representative on the International Labor Organization’s Governing Body
  • , Copenhagen Business School
  • , President, Autism Europe
Presentations from the floor
  • , GM, ICT and Cyber Security, Department of Human Services, Australia, , Account Executive, Hewlett-Packard

11:15 a.m. Session 2: Autism at Work

  • , graduate student
  • , artist, employee at Metro Kosher Deli
  • , Assistant Paralegal, Mayerson & Associates
  • , CEO and Chairman, Towers Watson
  • , EVP and COO, Products and Innovation Development, SAP
  • , Corporate Vice President, Operations, Microsoft
Presentations from the floor
  • , Executive VP and CIO, Freddie Mac
  • , COO, Oliver Wyman
  • , Managing Director, CAI
  • , Co-founder, ULTRA Testing; SVP UNICEF Venutres, UNICEF-USA
  • , Abilities Strategy Leader, Ernst & Young
  • , Dir. of Projects and Research, Centro Ann Sullivan de Perú
  • , employee, SAP
  • Thomas D'Eri, Co-Founder, Rising Tide Car Wash
  • , Research and Communications, United Nations Global Compact

12:50 p.m. Wrap-up

  • , ASG, DESA, United Nations

"Science, Collaboration & Answers for the Global Autism Community"

Panel discussion from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the ECOSOC Chamber
organized by the Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar, The Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
and Autism Speaks and co-sponsored by The Permanent Missions of India and Nigeria and the Republic of Korea

Followed by a reception at 6:00 p.m. in the East Lounge hosted by the Permanent Missions of Qatar and Bangladesh to the United Nations

Download the invitation PDF document

Download the concept note PDF document

Opening Session

Opening Remarks By:

1) H.E. Ambassador Abulkalam Abdul Momen: Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations.
2) H.E. Ambassador Alya Ahmed S. Al-Thani: Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations.

  • H.E. Ambassador of Bangladesh to the United Nations will introduce Mrs. Ban Soon-Taek.
  • Mrs. Ban Soon-Taek Remarks.
  • H.E. Ambassador of Bangladesh to the United Nations will introduce the Permanent Representative of India.
  • Permanent Representative of India Remarks.
  • H.E. Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the United Nations will introduce the Permanent Representative/ Deputy Permanent Representative of Nigeria, (TBC).
  • Permanent Representative/ DPR of Nigeria Remarks.
  • H.E. Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the United Nations will introduce the Deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea.
  • DPR of the Republic of Korea Remarks.
  • H.E. Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the United Nations will introduce Mr. & Mrs. Wright.
  • Mrs. Wright Remarks.
  • H.E. Ambassador of Bangladesh to the United Nations will introduce Ms. Amina Mohammed.
  • Mrs. Amina Mohammed Remarks.
  • H.E. Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the United Nations will conclude the Opening Session and introduce Ms. Rebecca Jarvis: Chief Business & Economics Correspondent, ABC News- (Moderator).

Panel Discussion: Ms. Rebecca Jarvis introduces panelists and begins Q&A with:

  • Ms. Saima Wazed Hossain: Chairperson of the National Advisory Committee on Autism of Bangladesh.
  • H.E. Mrs. Amal Al Mannai (TBD): CEO of Qatar Foundation for Social Action.
  • Dr. Andy Shih remarks: Senior Vice President of Scientific Affairs, Autism Speaks. Introduces whip-around. Whip-around (countries to include Dubai, Mexico, Albania and Morocco).
  • Mr. Mohammed Badr Al Sada: Executive Director of AlShafallah Center (Qatar).
  • Mrs. Dévora Kestel: Unit Chief, Mental Health and Substance Use Pan American Health Organization, PAHO/WHO.
  • H.E. Sheikha Hessa bin Khalifa Al Thani (TBD): Former Special Rapporteur of the United Nations for persons with disabilities
  • Dr. Steve Scherer: (Hospital for Sick Children, MSSNG)
  • Ms. Helen Tager Flusberg: (Former President, INSAR).
  • Ms. Rebecca Jarvis thanks audience and concludes session

Post-Event Reception

Reception Programme:

Musical Presentation By Ms. Talina Toscano.

Art Exhibition by AlShafallah Centre (QATAR).

Please RSVP to eventspmun@mofa.gov.qa