Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Awareness Month has officially arrived!
What is FASD Month?
International FASD Awareness Day happens annually on September 9th. Throughout the month of September, events are held across Canada and around the world in recognition of FASD Day. But FASD awareness initiatives deserve more than one day of focus.
The Government of Canada officially recognized September as FASD Awareness Month in 2020. At CanFASD, we celebrate both FASD Day and FASD Month and encourage communities to continue to work towards increased awareness of FASD throughout the whole month of September and beyond.
FASD Month is an opportunity to raise awareness of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, correct misinformation about this disorder, celebrate those with FASD, and end the stigma around this disability. The theme this year is Uniting our Strengths: Finding Solutions Together.
Canada Rocks Red
For the second year in a row, landmarks across the country will light up red to raise awareness of FASD. As of today, there are 45 landmarks participating in this movement, including:
- Edmonton’s High Level Bridge in Alberta;
- Sails of Light in Vancouver, British Columbia;
- The WINNIPEG Sign in Manitoba’s capital;
- The Legislative Assemembly of New Brunswick in Fredericton;
- The Confederation Building in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador;
- The CN Tower in Ontario’s capital city;
- Montréal Tower in Quèbec;
- Charlottetown City Hall in PEI’s capital city.
Grab your friends and family members and go see your local landmark light up red. Be sure to take a picture and share it on social media with the hashtags #FASDMonth2023 & #RedShoesRock. You can also send it to us using this form for a chance to be featured!
Please note that some landmarks won’t be lighting up on September 9th but are still participating on other days. Visit our website to see the full list and details.
FASD Awareness Worldwide
The landmark light up has gone international! We’ve heard from our collogues in Australia that over 50 locations on the continent will light up red this September for FASD Awareness, including the Big Banana, Story Bridge in Brisbane, and Manly Town Hall in Sydney. Every State and Territory in Australia is represented. You can find the full list of participating Australian landmarks here.
FASD Awareness Events in Canada
Many community members and organizations are hosting events to bring attention to FASD this September. This is a great opportunity for you to get involved and connect make connections within your community. Check out our list of FASD events on our website. If you or your organization is hosting an event for FASD awareness, be sure to fill out this form and we will add it to our list to help community members get involved.
Red Shoes Rock
Red Shoes Rock is an incredible grassroots movement that has gained international recognition. The idea behind Red Shoes Rock is simple: wear red shoes at FASD events to bring attention to this disability.
Red shoes became a symbol for FASD awareness after Canadian educator and advocate, RJ Formanek, wore red shoes on an international stage to talk about FASD. For him, wearing red shoes are a symbol of power and strength. During FASD Month, be sure to wear red shoes to join the movement and help bring attention to FASD. Don’t have red shoes? No worries! Add a red shirt or pants to your outfit instead.
We have, and continue to see, real progress and change for FASD and FASD prevention in Canada. Many organizations and advocates have created innovative solutions to how they create and deliver services and supports. This outside-the-box thinking is one of our community’s biggest strengths.
During the Month, let’s talk about these innovations and services. Show how you are making a difference. When we share effective solutions, it shows problems are solvable. Highlighting the innovative and strengths-based solutions is one way we can support and raise awareness around FASD and FASD prevention. We can’t wait to see what everyone is doing to celebrate and raise awareness this month!