Manga Barcelona (formerly known as “Saló del Manga”) will be held from December 7 to 10 at Fira de Barcelona Gran Via, in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat. This edition will offer a wide variety of speeches, editorial presentations and activities with relevant artists from the world of manga and anime, as well as an area dedicated to children, the Manga Kids. For the first time, the Catalan Autism Federation will also have its own space, as a result of the collaboration with Ficomic, which aims to help people from the autistic community to fully enjoy the event. 

According to Marta Campo, managing director of the Catalan Autism Federation: "Some people with autism/autist people are not comfortable in big events with many attendees that are full of stimuli. We consider essential that Manga Barcelona, an event of reference within the world of manga and anime at national and international level, is a safe space adapted to the needs of people with autism/ autist people and other groups, especially taking into account the volume of followers of Japanese culture within the collective."  

The area of the Catalan Autism Federation will consist of an information point about the provided services that will offer advice to all those who may need it. It will be accompanied by some federated entities, which will also offer information about their work. In addition, we will have a Calm Space, which will be an area with as little noise as possible, with dim lighting and sensory material, so that anyone can go there should they need to rest from the light and sound stimuli of the event. Finally, the collaboration of Ficomic and the Catalan Autism Federation also contemplates the placement of visual aids in each of the spaces of the enclosure to favor orientation.

The Catalan Autism Federation is grateful for the predisposition and support of Ficomic at all times, and the willingness to provide all fans of manga and anime a space where they can enjoy their hobby without worries. 

This activity is part of the activities of Project RUMBO, a pilot project to analyze and propose improvements to social spaces in order to improve and promote independent living and equal participation in the community. 

About Project RUMBO:

“Project RUMBO: Towards a model of connected and inclusive personal autonomy” is a collaborative initiative developed between different confederations of the Third Sector of disability (COCEMFE, ASPACE, PREDIF, FEDACE and AUTISME ESPANYA). The of the project aim is to promote the design of innovative models of support for personal autonomy and independent living of people with disabilities, especially those with greater need for support, by combining services and resources that can facilitate an inclusive lifestyle in society in conditions of safety, accessibility and welfare. 

This project, which involves the participation of 22 entities of these confederations spread over five autonomous communities, is financed by the Ministry of Social Rights and Agenda 2030, under the Spanish Government's Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, linked to the European Union's NextGenerationEU funds.