On 9 October 2026, the 9th Autismusforum, “Autismus Perspektiven – Damals · Heute · Morgen” (Autism Perspectives – Past · Present · Future), took place at the Catamaran event centre in Vienna, organised by the research association Rainman’s Home. For the first time, UN DIN VIC was patron of the forum. It is a role we were honoured to take on.
The forum is deliberately interdisciplinary. Just as the term autism spectrum covers a wide range, the day brought together a spectrum of viewpoints: education, medicine, psychology, the perspective of parents, and above all the voices of autistic people themselves. Throughout the day, live captions on screen translated each talk in real time, from German into English or from English into German depending on the speaker, so that everyone in the room could follow every contribution.
Opening the forum
After a welcome by Mag. Patrick Berger of the ÖGB Chancen-Nutzen-Büro, who pledged the office’s continued support for the forum, UN DIN VIC President Sotirios Markopoulos addressed the audience.
He began by greeting the autistic participants, stressing that the forum is not only about them but above all for them. He introduced UN DIN VIC as a volunteer-led network at the Vienna International Centre that supports colleagues and their families living with visible or non-visible disabilities and neurodevelopmental conditions.
He linked the forum to “Minds Without Borders”, the neurodiversity programme UN DIN VIC hosted at the VIC the day before. That event showed that autism and ADHD bring challenges, but also strengths that no organisation can afford to overlook. He recalled the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, ratified by Austria in 2008, and its call for awareness-raising, inclusive education and an open labour market. Above all, he called for a change of perspective: autism is not a defect to be fixed, but a different way of perceiving and thinking that needs space. He quoted the disability movement’s principle “Nothing about us without us” and closed with an appeal to employers, schools and all of us: small adjustments make a big difference.
Dr Khurram Sadiq: “AuDHD – A novel neurodivergent lens”
We were especially happy to welcome Dr Khurram Sadiq, Consultant Neurodevelopmental Psychiatrist from London and honorary member of UN DIN VIC. In his English-language talk, “AuDHD – A novel neurodivergent lens”, he explored what it means when autism and ADHD occur together. The German edition of his book, AuDHS – Der stille Kampf im Kopf, will be published in November 2026.
A day of science, practice and lived experience
Through Rainman’s Home’s long-standing cooperation with the Wissenschaftliche Gesellschaft Autismus-Spektrum (WGAS), the forum welcomed leading researchers from several European countries:
- Mag. Barbara Gullner and Nicole Reisner (Austrian Federal Ministry of Education) outlined the Ministry’s efforts to drive change in schools. They also pointed to the tools teachers can already use to compensate for disadvantages.
- Prof. Dr. Christine Ecker presented findings on individual differences in the brains of autistic people, making visible why autistic people perceive the world differently.
- Prof. Dr. Luise Poustka made the case for early detection and early support. She described Heidelberg University’s mobile screening bus, which brings assessments for infants directly to families.
A highlight was a first for the forum: a stage for autistic people and their families. In a panel sensitively moderated by Univ.-Prof. Dr. Germain Weber, parents and clients of Rainman’s Home spoke openly in a safe and respectful setting. Werner Holmes-Ulrich showed, with humour, how employment can work, and how often seemingly small things stand in the way.
The day closed with filmmaker Axel Joerss’s moving film about the father-and-son story of Anton and René Diestelberger, introduced by a video message from Ludo Vande Kerckhove. It was a day of laughter and tears, ending with a clear message: life with an autistic child is worth living, and it is a special, lifelong task.
Thank you, Rainman’s Home
Our sincere thanks go to Rainman’s Home. Year after year, this association organises the Autismusforum in Vienna without public funding, bringing the latest scientific developments to professionals, families and autistic people alike. We also thank the ÖGB Chancen-Nutzen-Büro for providing the venue, the sponsors, and all speakers and participants. UN DIN VIC looks forward to continuing this cooperation.
Photo credits: UN DIN VIC (stage, venue and Dr Sadiq); Rainman’s Home (Sotirios Markopoulos and Dr Therese Zöttl, panel discussion).
