Beijing’s “Water Cube” Event Raises Awareness of Autism

  BEIJING, CHINA - 08/09/2017 (PRESS RELEASE JET)

World Autism Month in April is inaugurated with the signature campaign, Light It Up Blue, a clever marketing strategy used throughout the year to draw attention to autism and raise funds through illuminating buildings around the world in blue light. Affiliated events also take place throughout the year.

Beijing's National Aquatics Center or "Water Cube" has “Lit It Up Blue” seven times. This year’s event saw about 100 guests from autism focus groups gather to watch the iconic bubbled exterior of the former Olympic stadium bathed in blue light.

Among China’s 1.3 billion people, there are more than 10 million autistic adults and 2 million children, who are often marginalized and struggle for recognition and suitable facilities.

During this year’s Light It Up Blue event at the Water Cube, a public welfare fund of 1 million RMB was established to promote special children’s integrated education, training and development. The event also included a forum “Special Teenagers Development” with ten important guests to discuss education and employment of teenagers with special needs.

This year, Gao Xixi, the mother of a 19-year-old autistic boy, delivered a keynote speech.

The Chinese American linguist, Gao Xixi first opted for treatment for her son’s autism in America. However, she eventually became disillusioned, and decided to start again from scratch.

Although Gao Xixi has not studied early childhood education techniques in great depth, she believes her approach is effective because Billy’s current condition and level of independence is relatively good. She has written about her experiences in an “Annual Treatment Plan for Billy”, which has become a textbook for parents of autistic children.

As well as taking part in the event, Xixi and her son Billy appear in a short documentary for BON Cloud, a China-based content production and licensing platform that includes a library of stories on social good and corporate social responsibility cases.

In the video, Xixi shares her outlook of embracing her son Billy’s condition and her wish for him to be independent. Although, with patience, he can learn some skills it’s still difficult for him to accomplish some tasks we take for granted, such as to tie his shoelaces by himself.

Their story is part of a library of video content on the BON Cloud Premium platform which covers corporate social responsibility as well as business, technology, living, travel and lifestyle.

China Content: BON Cloud (http://premium.bon-cloud.net)

BON Cloud is a China content supply platform featuring stories from China cities and organizations, encompassing topics such as travel, CSR, arts, business, and technology. BON Cloud invites publishers and broadcasters from around the world to bid to publish China content for profit.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAjBvA8YLTI