To mark World Autism Awareness Day on April 2, on March 31 the Universidad Europea hosted a preview of the documentary “Un Sueño Compartido”, by NGO Aprendices Visuales; the documentary highlights the experiences of parents, families and friends who live each day with children and people with autism spectrum disorder. The documentary also served to hold a round table with various Universidad Europea experts and the founder of the NGO, Alumna and winner of the JES Awards, Miriam Reyes.
The awareness-raising initiative promoted by the Universidad Europea and Aprendices Visuales was held in Madrid and Valencia, and soon in the Canary Islands. The preview and round table successfully informed guests about autism spectrum disorder, with case studies ranging from the home to academics, as is the case of the Universidad Europea, which helps various students with Asperger’s with excellent academic results through the Diversity Unit.
In addition to Miriam Reyes, the round table included Rebeca Cordero, Education professor; Giuseppe Iandolo, Psychology professor; Cristina Vicente, care coordinator for the AMI-TEA program; Sonia Escorial, technical advisor at the Diversity Unit; and Juan Vázquez, expert in Physical Education.
Other guests included Joaquín Cerdá, Sports and Exercise Science (CAFYD) professor, who presented the case of this 6-year-old son who was diagnosed with ASD. According to Cerdá, the documentary “is a very real explanation of everything that happens in this area and the day-to-day of families”. The CAFYD professor stressed that “disseminating this content helps bring our story, which seems far from reality but is actually among us, closer to the public, and to make people aware so they help make the world easier for them”.