AYA NAPA: The Run for Autism charity race was a great success (PICTURES)

More than two thousand participants ran in the 10 and 5 km road races as well as the children's race in memory of Iakovos Triaros held last Sunday, April 2 in Ayia Napa as part of the second consecutive event "Run for Autism".

The charity road race is organized purely thanks to the voluntary initiative of the team "Run for Autism" with the aim of financially supporting the Autism Support Center of Famagusta and the programs it provides for the employment of people with Autism, namely the "Smile Project", a Day Center which employs people over the age of 21 and housed in Sotira as well as the "Summer Club", which employs young people on the autism spectrum during the summer months with professional staff.

The "Run for Autism" races took place on the morning of Sunday, April 2, 2023, on Nissi Avenue in Ayia Napa, starting from the parking lot between the Adams Hotel and Nissi Beach, while it was held under the auspices of the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Mr. Kostas Koumis who announced the start of the match.

Over two thousand participants

Over two thousand participants ran in the 10 and 5 km road races as well as in the charity children's race in memory of Iakovos Triaros, while over five thousand visitors watched the race, contributing in their own way to information and awareness for World Autism Day which is set on April 2 each year.

Request to create structures for people over the age of 21 on the Autism spectrum

At the same time, through awareness and participation, the general request that became apparent through the event as well as through the long-term efforts made by the Famagusta Autism Support Center is that there is a huge need for the state to create the appropriate accommodation and employment structures for people over the age of of 21 years old who are on the Autism spectrum, as similar infrastructures are not only insufficient but also non-existent.

The Run for Autism race

The race is a purely voluntary initiative with all proceeds going to the needs of the Famagusta Autism Support Center. Despite the voluntary initiative and the hundreds of volunteers who every year rush to contribute in every way, the event is one of the most thorough and organized sports events that take place in the province of Famagusta and gather thousands of participants from every corner of Cyprus as well as from abroad. Indicative of the successful organization is the fact that the race was organized on April 3, 2022 for the first time in Ayia Napa and gathered 800 entries and over 2.000 visitors and spectators, while this year this number has almost tripled, leaving optimistic messages for the next ones years.

You can find more information about the match here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100078540888395

Famagusta.News was one of the supporters of the event