MOSCOW, April 2 (RIA Novosti) - Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has called for tolerance and urged the international community to learn to treat autistic people with due care.
"The state should be more attentive to people living with autism. A federal autism center was launched in Russia; new diagnostics are being currently developed. But this is not enough," Medvedev posted on his Facebook page.
"It is essential that the international community should learn to treat special people with due care. Let us all be kinder to one another," the prime minister added.
Autism is a range of complex neurodevelopmental disorders, which affects people's ability to communicate and relate to others. All those living with autism have difficulties in social situations.
Autism is characterized, in varying degrees, by restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, intellectual disability and difficulties in motor coordination.
Current statistics show that autism is diagnosed in one out of every 68 children.
In December 2007, the UN General Assembly declared April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day in an effort to draw global attention to people living with the disorder. The event is usually marked by special a "Light it Up Blue" campaign.
In his message to mark the occasion, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon stressed the importance of this annual campaign and urged all concerned individuals to help build a more inclusive world.
"World Autism Awareness Day is about more than generating understanding; it is a call to action. I urge all concerned to take part in fostering progress by supporting education programs, employment opportunities and other measures that help realize our shared vision of a more inclusive world," Ban Ki-Moon said.
