In 2013, Autism-Europe members organised a wide range of events across Europe – including bell-ringing ceremonies, art exhibitions, conferences and more – to mark World Autism Awareness Day.
For the fourth year in a row, several cities worldwide also joined the ‘Light It Up Blue’ campaign by US organisation Autism Speaks, with landmark buildings around Europe and the globe lit up in blue for the night to raise awareness of autism.
Autism-Europe members cooperated with NYSE Euronext to raise awareness of autism through bell-ringing ceremonies at stock exchanges in several cities across Europe.
Brussels
The NYSE Euronext stock exchange in Brussels held a bell ringing ceremony to mark this day. Representatives of Autism-Europe joined members of Belgian autism organisations, including Frank Deviaene from the Flemish autism organisation Vlaamse Vereniging Autisme, and government representatives to sound the stock exchange’s opening bell at 9.00am on Tuesday April 2.
Paris
The NYSE Euronext stock exchange in Paris also held a bell ringing ceremony at 5.30pm on Tuesday April 2. Vice President of Autism-Europe, Evelyne Friedel, opened the ceremony with the President of AFG Autisme, André Masin, and his son Guillaume Masin, an adult with autism, who rang the closing bell. Catherine Langlais, General Counsel, Executive Director of Legal and Regulatory Affairs, NYSE Euronext, made an opening speech for the event, which was attended by special guests, including Deputy Mayor of the 12th district of Paris, Pénélope Komites, and journalist, writer and humourist, Albert Algoud, who is also the father of an adult with autism. The ceremony was filmed and streamed online.