Kochi, 02-04-2025: Faces became art, smiles turned into statements, and the community united under one vibrant awareness theme ‘autism acceptance’. Celebrating World Autism Awareness Day, volunteers of Prayatna, a leading multidisciplinary center offering specialized services for both children and adults, painted faces of common people in Panampalli Nagar Central Park. with a burst of blue—the universal color of autism acceptance, each design carried a story, sparking conversations about autism.

World Autism Awareness Day, which is observed annually on April 2nd, is a global initiative to raise awareness about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to promote inclusivity, understanding, and support for individuals with autism.

“We didn’t just paint faces; we painted perspectives. By coming together as a community and celebrating diversity through color, we hope to develop a more inclusive and understanding society,’ said Dr. Joseph Sunny Kunnassery, Founder of Prayatna, Kochi. In addition to the face painting, the event distributed informative pamphlets on autism awareness. As part of the Autism Awareness Day, free autism screening camp will be organised from April 1st to April 30th for children aged below 18 years.

“This is a meaningful gesture, contributing to the awareness and understanding towards the Autism Spectrum Disorder community” said Neenu, who participated in the face painting event.