What started in 2022 as a day of talks streamed online has become an annual gathering for the Spanish-speaking Asperger community. Three editions on, the Asperger World Meeting brings together each year autistic people, families, professionals and organizations from Latin America, Spain, the United States and Israel.
1st Asperger World Meeting (2022): educate and give visibility
The first edition set itself a clear goal: to educate responsibly — families, schools, employers and society — and to curb the stigma that grows when “people only read the headlines.” From the start, the Meeting chose not to limit itself to Asperger and made room for other conditions and rare diseases.
Among the talks: María Auxiliadora Ramírez spoke about keys to employment inclusion; Andrea Villegas, about the different terms used to name an Asperger person; and Mónica Cabrera, an educational psychologist with Crouzon syndrome, about living beyond a diagnosis. The Fundación Federico García Villegas “Soy diferente, soy como tú” also took part.
2nd Asperger World Meeting (2023): “grow together, shine together”
The second edition widened its scope and perspectives. Pediatrician Andrés Marcano addressed biomedicine and quality of life; teenage pianist David García brought the music; Andrea Villegas worked on critical thinking skills; Xarifa Sarache closed with “the secrets of the Asperger mind” and productivity; and the leaders of Liga Asperger 7, Rodolfo Geloso and Gastón Perile, raised the debate about the future of diagnosis heading toward the DSM-6. The edition included a posthumous tribute to Venezuelan psychiatrist Edgar Belfort.
3rd Asperger World Meeting (2024): “Lives in connection”
The third edition was devoted entirely to an urgent topic: suicide prevention in the autism spectrum, a population with a suicide risk up to nine times higher than the general one. Nearly nine hours of streaming with Dr. Virna Hernández, Dr. Andrea Villegas, Dr. Diana Acosta (Fundación Alumbra), Dr. Adriana Crostley (Autism Society of Texas), Miguel Eduardo Dorado, Amina Donskaya, Liga Asperger 7 and Tony Hernández Pumarejo. The day also premiered the anthem “Conectando Vidas: Rompiendo el Silencio”.
A common thread
The theme changes, but not the formula: the autistic voice at the centre, professionals who support without talking over people, and a network of Ibero-American organizations that keeps the project going. All of it free to access.
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How many editions does the Asperger World Meeting have?
Three: the 1st Meeting was held in 2022, the 2nd in 2023 and the 3rd Meeting in 2024. All were organized by Asperger para Asperger and streamed online.
What was the theme of each edition of the Asperger World Meeting?
The 1st Meeting (2022) focused on educating about and giving visibility to Asperger's syndrome and other conditions. The 2nd (2023) used the motto “grow together, shine together,” focusing on biomedicine, critical thinking and the road to the DSM-6. The 3rd Meeting (2024) was devoted to suicide prevention in the autism spectrum under the motto “Lives in connection.”
Where can I watch the Asperger World Meeting recordings?
The full recordings of all three editions are available for free at www.encuentromundialdelasperger.org/en/grabaciones and on the Asperger para Asperger YouTube channel.