President-Elect Nominee:
Pierangelo Cappai
Born in Cagliari on 1 August 1972, married, father of three children aged 22, 18 and 7. Caregiver of Federico, the eldest son, a young adult with autism.
Graduated in Tourism Sciences with a thesis on tourism accessibility for autistic persons, employed by the Ministry of Education and Merit as a permanent teacher at secondary school.
Ever since Federico’s diagnosis, he decided to dedicate himself to the concrete promotion of the rights of people with autism and to improving their quality of life.
In 2007, he founded the Diversamente Onlus Association, based in Sardinia, and still holds the position of President. He actively collaborates in the networking of various projects with many Italian and European associations.
In May 2016 in San Sébastian, Spain, at the Annual General Assembly, Diversamente Onlus’ request to become a full member of Autism Europe was unanimously approved.
In 2013, he created Autismovie, an international festival of short films dedicated to the topic of autism.
In 2014, he founded the ASD Progetto Filippide Cagliari e Sud Sardegna Onlus, a sports association that promotes sport specifically dedicated to people with autism spectrum disorder and was elected President, currently no longer in office.
In 2016, at the Autism Europe Congress in Edinburgh, he contacted the World Autism Organisation for the first time and in 2017 he joined as an individual member.
Also in 2016, he organised the Annual General Assembly of Autism Europe in Cagliari, which hosted delegations from all over Europe. On that occasion, he was unanimously elected to the Board of Directors, a position he still holds.
In 2018, the Diversamente Onlus Association joined the WAO (World Autism Association). In November 2018, at the General Assembly, he was appointed member of the Board of Directors and member of the Executive Committee of the WAO (World Autism Association), a position he still holds.
In January 2019, the Diversamente Onlus Association became an official member of Angsa, the National Association of Parents of Persons with Autism.
In February 2022, he was elected President of Fish Sardegna, Federazione Superamento Handicap Sardegna; an umbrella association grouping the major Sardinian associations dealing with disabilities.
He has just completed a Master’s degree in ‘Expert in Europlanning. Project presentation, management and reporting’.
Every activity and every project in favour of autistic persons, their families, siblings and society in general has always had as a top priority that of networking with other associations so as to ensure that results and good practices could be long-lasting and easily replicable.
His own experience as a teacher in the Italian public school, where special classes have been completely abolished since 1977 and where all persons with or without disabilities are guaranteed the right to study and the right supports, makes him an ideal candidate to carry on the battles on inclusion at 360 degrees.
He would like to work to grow the WAO, especially to make it present and operational in those countries that need more support to implement the quality of life of autistic persons and where inclusion in society is still a chimera.
He would like to move the WAO’s registered office to one of the EU Member States in order to utilise his expertise in Europlanning and secure adequate funding.
He intends to make every effort so that by the end of his term of office the WAO can be accredited at the UN.
Cagliari, 21/10/2024
Pierangelo Cappai