The city emblem at the top of Ashiya City Hall and the City Hall entrance are being illuminated in blue from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Tuesday, April 2 through Monday, April 8!
↑The view from the pedestrian bridge on the north side of City Hall. The round city emblem on the raised section at the top of the building is glowing blue!
This illumination is being held in support of World Autism Awareness Day and Developmental Disabilities Awareness Week. Similar events are apparently taking place around the world to help more people learn about autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities.
Here is a map of Ashiya City Hall↓
The address is 兵庫県芦屋市精道町7-6.
The Light It Up Blue Lighting Ceremony
↑When we arrived in front of City Hall at around 6:00 p.m. on April 2, we noticed a group of people dressed in blue.
↑They were preparing for the lighting ceremony!
↑This is part of the Light It Up Blue campaign, held in conjunction with the UN-designated World Autism Awareness Day and Developmental Disabilities Awareness Week. The campaign takes place around the world to help more people learn about autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities!
NPO At Autism, the organization running the campaign in Japan, is headquartered in Ashiya, and this year marks the first time a lighting ceremony has been held in Ashiya!
↑In addition to City Hall, “Blue Action” illuminations and other activities are apparently being held at various locations around Ashiya, including Hotel Takezono Ashiya. An event also seems to have taken place at Lead Ashiya before the lighting ceremony.
↑This adorable display was also set up in front of the City Hall entrance for the lighting ceremony!
↑Everyone joined Mayor Takashima for the countdown! The entrance lit up in blue, and the crowd got excited!
View this post on Instagram
↑The mayor also posted about the event on Instagram!
↑For campaigns like this, only the City Hall entrance had been illuminated in previous years. Apparently, this is the first time the city emblem at the top of City Hall has been illuminated in color!
Hopefully, this will encourage more people to learn about autism (autism spectrum disorder/ASD/developmental disabilities).
Official website of the organizer, NPO At Autism
