Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination (ZHO), ZHO, in collaboration and coordination with ADNOC and Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), and Lotus Holistic Abu Dhabi Group, is organising the 12th International Conference on Advances in Autism Research from 27-30 April 2024, at Abu Dhabi Energy Centre.

The conference will feature approximately 20 sessions on the latest advancements in autism research. The programme includes over 40 workshops and more than 100 speakers from over 20 countries, specialising in behaviour modification and biomedical advances, will participate. Participants will have the option to join the conference online from anywhere in the world.

The conference aims to raise awareness about autism and maximising the benefit from practical research and studies presented during the event.

Abdullah Al Humaidan, the Secretary General of Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination, said that hosting the 12th International Conference on Advances in Autism Research builds on the success of previous editions of the conference. The conference also continues the achievements made in the field of care and rehabilitation for various categories of People of Determination, especially those with autism. Al Humaidan expressed hope that these successes would continue through this global gathering, where experiences are exchanged, experiments are presented, and various topics are objectively and scientifically discussed, enriching the experiences and experiments for all participants and specialists in the field. This aims to support the development of services, care methods, and rehabilitation for children, youth, and adults with autism, with the participation of several scientific entities in research and attendance.

Al Humaidan added that the conference highlights the latest findings of scientific studies and research, providing a real opportunity for participants including experts, institution personnel, concerned entities from various countries, and parents of autistic individuals to learn about the best practices related to autism. The presence of this multitude of experts and participants in the conference contributes to producing useful and impactful recommendations in the field of caring for those affected by autism. The ultimate goal is to provide the best means of treatment and to continue the humanitarian work path, ensuring the sustainability of the UAE's leadership in caring for all humanitarian aspects.

The conference aims to provide firsthand knowledge in the theory and practice of autism therapy to the international community, accelerating the dissemination of new, effective and safe medical and educational measures to assist individuals with autism. It also aims to showcase innovative research and achievements in biomedical science that may help meet the diverse needs of autism, in addition to presenting the results of the experimental phase of a pilot project for educating children with autism based on an innovative model of comprehensive education for children with special cognitive needs. The conference aims to benefit from the best international practices and the latest research.

The conference aims to achieve a strong educational mission through wide participation in the conference and extensive media communication, forming working groups to implement international projects in research and clinical practice. It aims to discuss methods and approaches for implementing some of these results in international practice, and to identify a starting point for the development of biomedical research seeking clinical diagnosis methods for autism and autism intervention approaches.

The opening day of the conference will also mark the launch of the first specialised scientific journal sponsored and supported by the Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination, dedicated to autism research. This initiative aims to provide the best treatment methods and practices for individuals with autism, empowering them for integration into society and raise social awareness about them. The journal emphasises scientific integrity, meeting the need for a scientific platform to address current challenges and disseminate the findings of this research to practitioners in various specialised centres. The journal reaffirms the directives of the UAE to maintain its leading position in humanitarian and social work without discrimination.