Dubai: In line with the “My Community... a City for Everyone” initiative that aims to transform Dubai into a friendly city for people of determination, Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) has received Autism-Friendly Certificates (AFC) for the category of Cultural Facilities to acknowledge the Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children, Etihad Museum, and Al Shindagha Museum.

The accreditation certificates were presented at Dubai Autism Center’s headquarters during an official visit by the Dubai Culture delegation, headed by Hala Badri, the Authority’s Director General, and in the presence of Muna Faisal Algurg, CEO of the Cultural & Heritage Sector at Dubai Culture; Mansoor Lootah, CEO of the Operations Support Sector at Dubai Culture; Abdulla Alfalasi, Director of Etihad Museum; and Adel Omar, Senior Special Project and Media Director at Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children.

Her Excellency Hala Badri, Director General of Dubai Culture, affirmed the importance of supporting people of determination, developing their life and social skills, and refining their creative talents, saying: “At Dubai Culture, we seek to make a fundamental change in the lives of people of determination by adopting a set of innovative solutions that contribute to activating their presence and participation in the cultural and artistic events organised by the authority, based on our social responsibility towards them, and our awareness of the importance of their energies, skills, and creativity that must be developed and directed in the right direction, taken care of and invested in the best way, which will reflect positively on enriching the local cultural scene,”

Badri confirmed that Dubai Culture’s obtaining the Autism-Friendly Certificate reflects its efforts in the field of empowering people of determination and integrating them into society, and ensuring their access to all the Authority’s assets and facilities. This is so they can enjoy the range of cultural experiences offered to all members of society in line with the Dubai government’s strategies that aim at meeting the needs of people of determination in all fields.

On this occasion, Al Emadi expressed his appreciation for the efforts of Dubai Culture and their tireless endeavor to enhance the benefit of people of determination, including individuals with autism, from the services they seek in their facilities to obtain an enriching experience and meet their needs as fully as others, in line with the vision of our wise government to transform the Emirate of Dubai into a friendly city for people of determination.

Al Emadi also confirmed that the Dubai Autism Center has sought, since its inception, to enhance community awareness of autism using innovative educational means, pointing out that the Autism-Friendly Program was launched in September this year as a first-of-its-kind initiative in the region aimed at certifying the role model of organizations in the public and private sectors and encouraging the community to embrace higher accessibility standards for individuals with autism.

About the procedures of the organizing committee of the AFC Certification Program, Eman Abushabab, Community Outreach Manager at the Dubai Autism Center, revealed that a number of training workshops and field visits were organized for Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children, Etihad Museum, and Al Shindagha Museum to provide their employees with the necessary information on how to interact and engage with individuals with autism,

“Based on the review and scrutiny of the criteria for achieving a safe and friendly environment for people with autism at different levels, individuals, facilities and services, these entities were awarded the Autism-Friendly Certificate (AFC) under the category of Cultural Facilities.

Abushabab stated that entities that receive the AFC certification are subject to evaluation once a year, in addition to adopting a ‘mystery shopper’ approach, usually represented by people with autism and their families.

Founded by a decree of the ruler of Dubai in 2001, Dubai Autism Center aims to provide specialized services to take care for children with autism and provide support for their families and their caregivers. As per Decree No. 26 of 2021, Dubai Autism Center aims to contribute to making the Emirate of Dubai a leading hub in the world in the field of providing approved special education programs and specialized rehabilitative treatment services for people diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The financial resources of the center consist of subsidies, donations and any charitable endowments for the welfare of the center.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological and developmental disorder that begins early in childhood and lasts throughout a person’s life. ASD can cause significant social, communication, and behavioral challenges. According to recent studies, one in 44 children is affected by ASD. 

For More Information:
Yousef Ahmed Al Dhafer
Media & Government Relations Manager at Dubai Autism Center

About Dubai Culture & Arts Authority

Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), under the leadership of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is committed to enriching Dubai’s cultural scene based on the UAE’s heritage, and is building bridges of constructive dialogue between various cultures to enhance Dubai’s position as a global centre for culture, an incubator for creativity, and a thriving hub for talent.

Dubai Culture is keen on reviving and preserving the emirate's historical heritage and developing the regulatory frameworks for the cultural and creative sector in line with its strategic roadmap 2020 – 2025.

The Authority also seeks to empower the enablers that seek to support talents and stimulate active participation from society members by investing in the various cultural and heritage assets under its remit, including the management of five heritage sites, five museums, Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children and eight Dubai Public Library branches, all of which help contribute to creating an economic system that stimulates the cultural and creative industries.

For more information, please visit the Authority's website www.dubaiculture.gov.ae

More about Dubai Autism Center:

The Dubai Autism Centre is a non-profit organization that provides comprehensive and specialized services to children with Autism and their families. Founded in November 2001 with the issuance of a decree from the Ruler of Dubai, the Center maintains international standards, providing intervention programs through a holistic approach for children with autism. The Centre also provides information, support, advice and training to professionals and parents of children with autism working towards facilitating a better understanding of autism in the UAE community.

As per Decree No. 26 of 2021, Dubai Autism Center aims to contribute to making the Emirate of Dubai a leading center in the world in the field of providing approved special education programs and specialized rehabilitative treatment services for people diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

The services provided by the Center include educational, psychological and rehabilitative programs for children with autism. The financial resources of the center consist of subsidies, donations and any charitable endowments for the welfare of the center.

With the provision of Specialist Services, outreach programs and promoting awareness, DAC is able to focus its attention and efforts on a clear vision – to be a center of excellence for those we serve.

The Centre focuses its efforts on providing various educational and therapeutic services to its students; where each student has an Individual Education Plans (IEP’s) forming the basis of intervention required. Assessments by special educators and therapists together with parents are regularly reviewed and adjusted to meet the needs of each student.

DAC offers assessment and diagnosis as well as counseling services to as many families as possible offering guidance on relevant programs and necessary intervention programs for their child to achieve the best possible outcome. It also concentrates its efforts in spreading awareness on Autism, involving various sectors of the community in the autism cause.

Professional training at the DAC covers various topics and specialties to ensure that professionals in the field are up to date with the latest methods and developments.

DAC supports research and studies that explore facts related to autism in the United Arab Emirates to participate in the development of international autism information networks.

In 2017, the Dubai Autism Center moved to its new headquarters located on an area of 90,000 square feet, covering a total built-up area of 270,000 square feet in Al Garhoud.

This year, the Dubai Autism Centre has enrolled 150 students in both school and clinic programs. The Center, in its fully-equipped facility, offers specialized services for children with autism, including 34 classrooms, 22 motor therapy clinics, 18 speech therapy clinics, 3 rooms specialized in sensory therapy, and a number of laboratories, and medical clinics, all designed according to the latest specialized international standards, providing the appropriate educational environment for children with autism.