“Fun to spend Friday with kids telling stories through art! I was pleased to fund this art event/competition organized by @AutismCareNepal. Inclusive learning environments healthy communities. Congrats winners!, “tweets Australian Ambassador to Nepal Felicity Volk.

Australia’s Ambassador to Nepal Volk tweets after she distributed award prizes and certificates to winners and participants of an Inclusive Art Event for children with neuro-developmental disabilities and neurotypical children amidst a program today.

The competition was organized by the AutismCare Nepal Society with support from the Australian Embassy.

The Nepal Olympic Committee and Sports for All Commission also collaborated to raise awareness about autism and the meaningful inclusion of children with neuro-developmental conditions in public arts and sports events, according to a press release issued by the Embassy.

Addressing the award ceremony, Ambassador Volk said, “I have loved seeing stereotypes broken here and stigma addressed, as we come together, whatever our circumstances, to use color and shape and form to communicate ourselves and our stories to each other,” read the press release.

“Communities can only be truly healthy when they embrace all their members, without prejudice or discrimination,” Ambassador Volk added.

Ambassador Volk said she hoped that the art event would inspire others – teachers, school administrators, parents and the community in general – to realize the importance of art as therapy and to support art education for all. “We must promote art as a way of life, not just as an occasional leisure activity,” the press release quoted Ambassador Volk as saying.

Over 80 children participated in the event in which senior artists and former Assembly Members of the Nepal Academy of Fine Arts, Sanjaya Bantawa and Rajman Maharjan, volunteered as judges.

Photo: