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Qatar participated in the high-level ministerial meeting launching the Global Autism Alliance, held at the UN headquarters in New York on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly.Qatar was represented at the meeting by HE the Minister of Public Health Mansour bin Ibrahim al-Mahmoud and HE the Minister of Social Development and Family Buthaina bint Ali al-Jabr al-Nuaimi.The meeting announced the establishment of the alliance as an international platform aimed at fostering understanding, coordinating efforts, and expanding global initiatives to support individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their families.In his opening remarks, HE the Minister of Public Health emphasised the importance of launching the Global Autism Alliance to strengthen joint efforts for sustainable improvement and to provide necessary support to individuals with autism and their families worldwide. He underlined that Qatar attaches great importance to health as a means to achieve a more just, secure, and humane world, and that autism remains a key priority in both public health and social development.He noted that in 2017 Qatar launched its first National Autism Plan, a comprehensive strategy covering awareness, early diagnosis, medical intervention, inclusive education, and lifelong support. He added that the plan is reinforced by large-scale awareness campaigns and strong partnerships with families and communities.He also said that Qatar’s integrated, rights-based approach demonstrates a firm commitment to ensuring that every individual with autism can reach their potential and actively contribute to society.For her part, HE the Minister of Social Development and Family reaffirmed Qatar’s ongoing commitment to promoting social inclusion and achieving health, education, and social equity for individuals with autism. She stressed that this commitment stems from Qatar National Vision 2030 and the country’s comprehensive, rights-based approach to supporting the most vulnerable. She also praised international partnerships that strengthen this initiative.She highlighted that the initiative reflects the vision of Chairperson of Qatar Foundation Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, who played a pivotal role in advancing dignity and inclusivity for people with autism and in helping the UN General Assembly adopt Resolution 62/139 in December 2007, which designated April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day.Al-Nuaimi further explained that the Global Autism Alliance is an important step toward advancing international co-operation and knowledge-sharing through research and innovation, with the aim of increasing the impact of global efforts. She stressed the importance of making innovation central to the initiative, particularly in reimagining social systems, supporting families, and fostering community participation to ensure equal opportunities for all.She noted that the alliance represents a qualitative leap in co-ordinated international efforts to raise awareness about autism and improve services provided to individuals with autism, through collaboration among governments, international organisations, civil society, and the private sector.The event was organised in partnership with Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, the World Health Organisation, Unicef, and Autism Speaks.As part of its commitment to supporting children with autism, Qatar continues its efforts under the Qatar Foundation Strategy 2025-2035, which provides comprehensive support in education, health, and innovation, while strengthening social inclusion. These efforts include early intervention programs offering therapeutic and rehabilitation sessions for children aged 3 to 14, as well as autism-friendly hospitals such as Sidra Medicine, which provides suitable medical environments for children during treatment. Qatar also continues to raise awareness through World Autism Day activities and focuses on inclusive education by integrating specialised programmes for children with autism into both public and private schools.

The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), in partnership with Generation Amazing (GA) Foundation, has completed two teacher training workshops under Cycle 2 of the Healthy Cities: Sports for Health and Development Programme. The initiative supports Qatar’s broader Healthy Cities vision and aligns with the Qatar National Vision 2030 by promoting health, wellbeing, and inclusion through sport, a statement from GA said.Bringing together more than 40 teachers from 15 schools across Qatar, the workshops were designed to equip educators with the tools to deliver a sports-based health curriculum to students aged 8–12. To ensure accessibility and inclusivity, training was delivered in both English and Arabic.On August 27, Awsaj Academy in Education City hosted English-language sessions for teachers from 11 international schools, including Qatar Academy Doha, Qatar Academy Sidra, Qatar Academy Wakra, Qatar Academy Msheireb, Awsaj, Renad, Tariq Bin Ziad and Academyati, Sherborne Qatar School, Newton International School, Compass International School Doha, the Palestinian School and Podar Pearl School.On September 1, Fifth Assalam School under the umbrella of Education Above All (EAA) Foundation’s Together Project welcomed Arabic-speaking teachers from the Assalam Group of Schools for a full-day workshop. The sessions combined theoretical learning, hands-on activities, and interactive workshops to ensure teachers were fully prepared to deliver six engaging lessons in the new academic year. Jassim al-Ali, events director at GA, said: “Sport is a powerful tool for development; it brings communities together, builds life skills, and promotes health in a way that is both engaging and transformative. Through this initiative, we are using sport to foster inclusion, leadership, and positive change in schools and communities across Qatar.” These workshops are part of the ongoing rollout of the Sports for Health and Development Programme, established through a Memorandum of Understanding signed between MoPH and GA in October 2024. Cycle 2 represents a major step forward in expanding the initiative and reinforcing the critical role schools play in promoting healthier, more active lifestyles among children in Qatar.Representatives from both MoPH and GA attended the sessions, with closing remarks underscoring the pivotal role of teachers as changemakers and champions of wellbeing in their schools and communities.