Since 2008, the United Nations General Assembly established the 2nd of April as a World Autism Awareness Day. In order to draw special attention to the night of 2 April, cities all around the world illuminated in blue – the signature color of autism – various buildings and historical monuments.
For the international event “Light it up Blue”, the building of Zosimaia Library has been participating since 2017 by “lighting it up blue”.
The Hellenic Society for the Protection of Autistic People (HSPAP) and the “Eleni Gira” Shelter for Autistic People that operates in Zitsa putting up 12 autistic adults, in cooperation with the Municipality of Ioannina and Zosimaia Library, they seek to raise awareness among the local community on autism issues, participating in the celebration of the World Autism Awareness Day. By lighting the buildings up in blue, the bodies participating in the initiative, seek to symbolize the need to “shed light” as a society on the dark side of isolation and marginalization that autistic people experience. The aim is to “light up” their right to a better life with fair treatment, without exclusion.
