A UN press release said the narrative around autism is gradually moving away from misconceptions of curing and converting autistic people to an inclusive approach focusing on accepting, supporting and involving autistic people, and embracing the concept of neurodiversity — the idea that people experience and interact with the world in many different ways and that there is no one “right” way.

The neurodiversity perspective allows us to recognize and appreciate the positive contributions that autistic people make to their families, communities and — beyond that — globally, including the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, our common blueprint for achieving a better and more sustainable future for all, according to the UN.