Read the full case study here.
The 14th Autism-Europe International Congress, held in Dublin from September 11–13, 2025, marked a significant milestone in inclusive event design.
AsIAm partnered with Fáilte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority on an intentional impact project to define and measure the positive impact of the Autism Europe Congress. As part of this collaboration, Inclusive Event Design was identified as a key priority. Working closely with Keynote PCO and the Royal Dublin Society (RDS), this vision was successfully brought to life, resulting in a truly inclusive event experience.
Hosted by AsIAm, Ireland’s Autism Charity, the congress welcomed over 1,800 participants—including Autistic individuals, families, researchers, professionals, and advocates— from across Europe and beyond. From its very inception, the Autism Europe Congress has embodied a profound commitment to co-creation with the Autistic community.
Autistic voices were placed at the heart of every stage of planning and delivery — from a majority Autistic scientific committee and speaker lineup to clear guidelines for all contributors to ensure Autism-affirming content. Every element of the event was thoughtfully co-created to reflect and respect the lived experiences and expertise of Autistic individuals.
“Hosting the Autism Europe Congress provided us with an opportunity to demonstrate accessibility at scale. Too often it can be assumed that certain environments or experiences are simply not inclusive of our community – in AsIAm we firmly believe that we can co-create accessibility in partnership. For us, this event was far more than just an opportunity to share research and best practise from across Europe – it was about leaving a lasting legacy in our city and country and raising the bar in terms of the expectations our community should have in terms of their right to participate in and access professional events – the opportunity to collaborate with Failte Ireland to document this process has created an invaluable opportunity to influence and educate the wider events and tourism sector and, in line with Ireland’s Autism Innovation Strategy, to embed inclusive practices across Irish life”.
Adam Harris, Conference Ambassador of The Autism Europe Congress and CEO of AsIAm, Ireland’s Autism Charity.