With notable success and significant participation from members of the academic community and the wider public, an awareness event on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) was held on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, at the Department of Animal Science at the University of Thessaly.
The keynote speaker was the renowned international basketball player Mr. Dimitris Papanikolaou, who moved and inspired the audience with a deeply human and powerful speech. Drawing from personal experiences, he highlighted both the challenges and the capabilities of individuals with autism, delivering strong messages of acceptance, inclusion, and empowerment.
The event was part of the pilot program BeeAutism, implemented by the Laboratory of Applied Beekeeping of the Department of Animal Science. BeeAutism promotes beekeeping training for five individuals with ASD from the Autism Association of Larissa, offering new prospects for social and professional integration. The program is conducted under the scientific supervision of Assistant Professor of Beekeeping Mr. Alexandros Papachristoforou, who was also the originator of the initiative, in collaboration with special education scientists and a specialized psychologist. The program’s success has been significantly supported by the company APIVITA, which contributes by purchasing the honey produced by the participants and by broadly promoting the initiative.
The event was addressed by the Rector of the University of Thessaly, Professor Mr. Charalampos Billinis, the Chair of the Department of Animal Science, Professor Mr. Dimitrios Kantas, and APIVITA’s representative, Mr. Tasos Tsoukalas. Through initiatives such as BeeAutism and its involvement in the network “Autism-Friendly University Environments,” the University of Thessaly continues to lead and actively contribute to raising awareness, eliminating discrimination, and enhancing the equal participation of individuals with autism in society.
