World Autism Awareness Day
A/RES/62/139
A/RES/62/139
This authority record treats the observance as a fixed annual date. The same month and day can be reused unless a stronger source changes the rule. Public-holiday or government status is never inferred from the observance name alone.
Overview
World Autism Awareness Day is a United Nations observance held on 2 April. The UN General Assembly designated the day in 2007 to raise awareness of autism and support the rights, dignity and full participation of autistic people.
Current UN framing places strong emphasis on human rights, inclusion and the lived experience and leadership of autistic people rather than treating them only as subjects of care.
Why it matters
Useful awareness work should include accessibility, communication, education, employment, health care, independent living and participation in decision-making, while recognizing that autistic people have varied strengths, needs and preferences.
An observance guide should not diagnose autism, recommend treatment for an individual or assume that one communication style or support approach fits everyone.
History
The UN General Assembly designated 2 April as World Autism Awareness Day in 2007 through resolution A/RES/62/139.
The observance sits within a wider UN disability-rights framework that includes the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and work on equal participation and dignity.
The first official UN observance was held on 2 April 2008. The UN Secretary-General described the initiative as spearheaded by the State of Qatar, with leadership from Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned.
How the observance developed
This timeline is assembled only from verified provenance fields. Missing stages are omitted rather than inferred.
State of Qatar
The UN Secretary-General described the initiative as spearheaded by the State of Qatar and highlighted the leadership of Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned.
United Nations General Assembly
UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/62/139
First documented observance
The United Nations marked the first official World Autism Awareness Day on 2 April 2008.
What the evidence establishes
Verified institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Fields that the reviewed sources do not establish remain fail-closed and are available below without competing with the confirmed record.
4 fields not established in reviewed sources
Also known as
Autism Awareness Day
Ways to observe
Include autistic speakers, writers or organizations when planning an awareness event rather than speaking only about autistic people.
Audit an event, website, classroom or workplace for sensory, communication and participation barriers.
Use clear language and offer multiple ways to participate when practical.
Discuss disability rights and reasonable accommodation using the relevant legal or institutional guidance for your jurisdiction.
Keep diagnosis and individual support decisions with qualified professionals and the person concerned.
Useful facts
World Autism Awareness Day is observed on 2 April.
The UN General Assembly designated the day in 2007 through A/RES/62/139.
The UN frames the observance around rights, dignity and participation as well as awareness.
Autistic people are not a uniform group and may have different communication and support preferences.
An awareness page should not provide individualized diagnosis or treatment advice.
The first official UN observance was held on 2 April 2008.
The United Nations credited the State of Qatar with spearheading the initiative.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
- Health Information Not Medical Advice.
Evidence & sources
Repeated links from the authority record, institutional provenance and editorial guide research are consolidated here. Badges show how each source is used; a contextual source is never treated as proof of establishment on its own.
United Nations Press — first official World Autism Awareness Day (2008) (opens in a new tab)
United Nations Secretary-General — first World Autism Awareness Day message (2008) (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — World Autism Awareness Day (opens in a new tab)
Dedicated Authoritative Page
United Nations — World Autism Awareness Day background (opens in a new tab)
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then use reviewed distinctions and related authority records to understand where this observance fits.
Frequently asked questions
When is World Autism Awareness Day?
2 April The stored recurrence guidance is: 2 April.
Does World Autism Awareness Day fall on the same date every year?
The authority record classifies it as fixed annual, so its month and day are reusable unless stronger evidence changes the rule.
Is World Autism Awareness Day an official public holiday?
The authority record verifies it within this scope: United Nations / international observance. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when the supporting authority record explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes World Autism Awareness Day?
The reviewed provenance layer identifies United Nations General Assembly as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as State of Qatar.
Is World Autism Awareness Day international or country-specific?
The record has international or global institutional scope: United Nations / international observance. That does not mean every country treats the date as a public holiday or observes it in the same way.
How is this page verified?
The factual layer is source-backed and keeps its date rule, scope, provenance and editorial guardrails attached to the authority record. This record was checked on 2026-09-07.
When did the United Nations designate World Autism Awareness Day?
The UN General Assembly designated 2 April as World Autism Awareness Day in 2007 through resolution A/RES/62/139.
Is the observance only about raising awareness?
No. Current UN framing also emphasizes human rights, dignity, equal participation and inclusion of autistic people.
Can this page tell someone whether they are autistic?
No. The page provides general observance context and should not be used for individual diagnosis or treatment decisions.
How this differs from closely related observances
These distinctions are separately reviewed and source-backed. They clarify scope; they do not change either authority record.
Is World Autism Awareness Day the same as International Day of Persons with Disabilities?
World Autism Awareness Day on 2 April focuses specifically on autism, autistic people, rights and inclusion. International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3 December has a much broader disability-inclusion scope.
Open International Day of Persons with Disabilities →Distinction sources
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