Hyatt Capital Gate Abu Dhabi Supports Autism Awareness Through A Month Of Activities

ABU DHABI, UAE - As part of Hyatt Hotels & Resorts' international Global Month of Service, Hyatt Capital Gate Abu Dhabi has partnered with Abu Dhabi Cause Connect to support World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) through a full month of initiatives to raise awareness and shine a light on autism.

"As part of our on-going commitment to Hyatt Thrive and our local community, hosting and organising weekly activities throughout April (World Autism Awareness Month) was undoubtedly an important yet easy decision as it is a cause all our employees are committed to," says Ashwini Kumar, Hyatt Capital Gate Abu Dhabi General Manager.

One in every 88 children is diagnosed with autism and each year, more children are diagnosed with autism than with juvenile diabetes, AIDS or cancer, combined. As the most obvious signs of autism and symptoms of autism tend to emerge between two and three years of age, Hyatt Capital Gate Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi Cause Connect recognise the growing need to educate the community about the importance of early detection.

"Awareness is the first step to early detection. It is important for us to engage the community so that there is increased dialogue about how to recognise autism and how to find the proper help and support for your child," says autism consultant Nipa Bhuptani. "Early intervention plays a large role in increasing the quality of life of children, family and their caregivers."

"Our employees are volunteering their time towards increasing awareness and acceptance of autism families in Abu Dhabi," adds Kumar.

Autism supporting guests visiting Hyatt Capital Gate Abu Dhabi will have the chance to help children with Autism by donating ten dirhams at all food and beverage outlets, Rayana spa, and the reception area. The collected proceeds will go towards the wish lists established by the Autism centres in Abu Dhabi.

Hotel Fundraising – 2 April
From WAAD until the end of the month, Hyatt Capital Gate Abu Dhabi will 'Light it up Blue' by switching all of its exterior building lights to blue – the recognised hero colour of Autism Speaks – to mark its commitment to the cause.

Guests visiting Hyatt Capital Gate Abu Dhabi will have the opportunity to assist children with autism by adding a ten dirham donation to the end of their bill at any food and beverage outlet, Rayana spa and at check-out.

Employee Education – 2 April
To ensure all employees of Hyatt Capital Gate Abu Dhabi are able to share informed knowledge about persons with autism, awareness and early detection, Nipa Bhuptani will provide an educational seminar to not only increase awareness amongst hotel staff, but to also allow staff to share their learning with all guests they interact with. All employees will be wearing a colourful puzzle piece ribbon on their lapel throughout April, and thus the hotel encourages all guests to please speak to its employees about this important initiative.

Art Display and Auction – 7 April
To celebrate the unique talents and skills of people with autism, from 7 – 30 April, various art pieces will be on display on level 18 of Hyatt Capital Gate Abu Dhabi, in Reception, the Lounge and the hotel's signature restaurant, 18 Degrees (18˚).

Painted and drawn by children with autism, approximately 25 pieces will be displayed and showcased to all guests entering the hotel. Art pieces are available for purchase at a price dictated by the buyer as a donation. All monies received from the sales will be put towards purchasing 'wish list' items for autism schools and centres.

Fun Day – 20 April, 9:30am
To warmly welcome and embrace children with autism, a day for these unique individuals and their families will be hosted by Hyatt Capital Gate Abu Dhabi at the Corniche Beach. The hotel will not only be donating snack boxes for the children, but employees will also join the event to personally play and engage with, and support all that attend.

Inaugural Launch of Support Network for Parents – 24 April, 5:00pm – 6:00pm
Hyatt Capital Gate Abu Dhabi will host the launch of Abu Dhabi's first parent support network for autism families, led by Nipa Bhuptani.

Although the prevalence of persons with autism is high in the capital, no formal support network currently exists. All parents that have children with autism are invited to attend the launch.

For parents in need of additional relaxation, a complimentary coffee break and yoga/meditation session will also be hosted from 6:00pm – 7:00pm by Rayana Spa, located on level 19 of the hotel. Prior registration is required and availability is on a first come first serve basis.

For those wanting to attend the Fun Day and / or Launch of the Support Network, please contact Nipa Bhuptani at nipa@nipabhuptani.com or +97150 7929965.


About Hyatt® Hotels
Hyatt hotels are smaller-sized properties conveniently located in close proximity to diverse business and leisure areas. With hotels typically ranging from 150 to 350 rooms, Hyatt hotels offer guests the opportunity to experience our hospitality in a vibrant environment. Customers include individual business and leisure travellers, and Hyatt hotels can also accommodate smaller scale business meetings and social gatherings.


Hyatt Thrive's Global Month of Service
An annual, company-wide opportunity for Hyatt Hotels to give back to our local communities, Global Month of Service demonstrates our commitment to Hyatt Thrive, where employees demonstrate the power of our collective efforts as a hospitality provider.

About Abu Dhabi Cause Connect
Abu Dhabi Cause Connect (ADCC) is a non-profit group dedicated to increasing creative collaboration between causes, community, and companies. The management team comprises of like-minded individuals who utilise their passion and expertise to benefit charitable causes. They have built strong partnerships with nonprofits/charities, community groups, and socially responsible businesses to achieve the highest social impact, and strive to empower the Abu Dhabi community to be a greater force for social good.

About Nipa Bhuptani
Nipa Bhuptani is a Board Certified Associate Behavior Analyst and Autism/ABA Consultant who has been working in Abu Dhabi in the field of education and special needs for nearly 20 years. Her main area of work is training parents and teachers and providing consultation for implementation of Best Practice Positive Behavior Support Programs for children with special needs. She is now working with various families and organisations in UAE, India and Italy. She is a certified coach and Regional Associate for the Competent Learner Model (CLM), a specific model for teacher training, learner assessment and curriculum for learners with Autism and Developmental Disabilities. For more information, visit: http://www.nipabhuptani.com

World Autism Awareness Day
Celebrated annually on 2 April, WAAD shines a light on autism as a growing global health crisis. Every year, autism organisations around the world celebrate the day with unique fundraising and awareness-raising events. This is the sixth annual World Autism Awareness Day.

Awareness and Action
In many countries autism is not a recognised disorder and diagnosis can be difficult. Countries must make a commitment to building capacity for early recognition by raising awareness. Screening methods for detection of at-risk children are available for toddlers as young at 18 months of age. Such screening can occur during regular check-ups. Autism Awareness Month gives a voice to the millions of individuals worldwide who are undiagnosed, misunderstood and looking for help. Please join us in our effort to inspire compassion, empowerment and hope.