Dubai is officially the first “Certified Autism Destination“Of the eastern hemisphere: the city with a thousand faces and a thousand contradictions (environmental contradictions First of all) obtains a certification that indicates how the city is equipped to accommodate and support travelers with autistic spectrum disorders, through the training of staff, the adoption of inclusive practices and the creation of specially designed infrastructures.
In short, the capital of the Emirates, the super megalopolis that already boasts many primates, including that of the highest skyscraper in the world, of the highest hotel in the world, of the fountain with the largest splashes, of the largest aquarium, this time adds another. Perhaps of a different value.
The recognition aligns with the economic agenda of Dubai, D33, which promotes the development of talent, social inclusion and improvement of the quality of life and arrives in the year of the community of the United Arab Emirates, which aims to create inclusive spaces capable of stimulating collaboration, a sense of belonging and shared experiences.
Specifically, in the next two years:
Already in December 2023 Dubai airport had been recognized as the first international airport Certified Autism Center Thanks to a training program that provides 45 thousand airport employees with the skills necessary to better support travelers with disabilities, including those with autism and sensory sensitive, which move inside the airport.
But this milestone, which speaks of empathy, welcome and human progress, clashes with the other side of the medal: that of a city symbol of extreme consumerism, of the cementing drive and a development model that is anything but sustainable. Dubai is the home of records – the highest skyscraper, the largest aquarium, the most luxurious hotel – but also one of the cities with the highest ecological imprint per capita in the world.
Thus, while investing in formation and accessibility, we continue to cool ski slopes in the desert and build artificial islands that irreversibly alter the marine ecosystems. Inclusive yes, but at what price?
