During the charity auction that followed the fifth Rishat Tayf series of displays of artwork made by children and young people with autism, SR 6.5 million ($ 1.7 million) was raised. The funds will be used to create, improve, and broaden services for those with autism spectrum disorders in Saudi Arabia.
The Society of Autism Families launched five Rishat Tayf programmes this year in Riyadh, Jeddah, Khobar, Abha, and Jazan, pairing 20 autistic youth with 20 artist mentors to help them make art that would allow them to express themselves.
Prior to the auction, which took place at the Cultural Palace in Riyadh on Wednesday and featured 100 of their works, 32 of them were on display.
Movie Cinemas sponsored the fifth edition, which ran for a full calendar year starting in October 2021, and Prince Badr bin Abdullah served as its patron.
According to Prince Saud bin Abdulaziz, president of the Society of Autism Families, “Today’s auction proceeds will be used to construct an incubator that hosts and nurtures the skills of individuals with autism.”
SAF, which was founded in 2009, coordinates a range of programmes and projects aimed at enhancing the lives of children with autism and their families. In addition to Rishat Tayf, its programmes also include family training, professional training and recruitment, sports and leisure activities, and psychological counseling.
In an effort to more successfully integrate children with ASD into society, SAF produced the play “Hall 4” in September. The play featured the acting skills of ASD-affected kids.
Raising awareness and knowledge in the Kingdom will help to lessen autism’s stigmas, according to Prince Saud.