Autism-Europe is deeply saddened by the passing of Dr. Fernando Manuel de Castro Campilho, current President of the Executive Board of Federação Portuguesa de Autismo (2021 to 2024) and member of the Council of Administration of Autism-Europe since 2022. Fernando was a physician, specialised in Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology.
Fernando had been involved in the fight for the rights of autistic people and a more inclusive society for over 30 years. He actively supported the evolution of concepts and change of mindsets in society towards disability as well as the growing self-advocacy of autistic people.
For more than 30 years, besides his action in Portugal, he actively supported and contributed to Autism-Europe’s action. He was involved in organising the 4th International Congress of Autism-Europe in Lisbon, a hugely successful event which saw the adoption of AE “Charter for Persons with Autism” in 1992 and its subsequent ratification by the European Parliament.
As Fernando declared : “The Charter of Rights has been the bible by which, for years, my action was guided. More recently the quantum leap that was the adoption of UN Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) gave us a fresh look on how people with disabilities must be included in the society. It is a document that must guide the National and European Strategy for the Inclusion for Peoples with Disabilities”.
He was also President of the Installing Committee of APPDA – North, President of the Board and currently President of the General Assembly. He was part of the setting-up Committee of the Portuguese Federation of Autism (2001 to 2003) and Vice-President of the FPDA (2004 to 2020).
We are deeply grateful to Fernando for his action and send our heartfelt condolences to his wife, daughter, remaining family and friends.