International Fragile X Awareness Day is celebrated by countries around the world. We welcome everyone joining in to celebrate all things Fragile X on October 10th as we work together to build an inclusive and caring society which values and affirms each of our family members.
X/X/2025
International Fragile X Awareness Day
Every year on October 10th (10.10 or X.X), FraXI along with countries all over the world celebrate International Fragile X Awareness Day – a day dedicated to recognising our strengths and learning from and teaching each other about life with FXS.
The theme for this year’s International Fragile X Awareness Day is the Right to Communication. Communication is how we express our thoughts and feelings, and the ability to do so is crucial for our inclusion in daily life.
Using the hashtag #RightToCommunication, FraXI will be launching an online campaign to spread awareness about the importance of the FX community’s right to communication in conjunction with the National Joint Committee for the Communication Needs of Persons with Severe Disabilities (NJC) in the Communication Bill of Rights.
We hope to educate our community and the public on the importance of respecting the following rights to communication:
- The right to dignity and respect in all interactions.
- The right to meaningful communication that is culturally and linguistically appropriate.
- The right to be addressed directly and not be spoken for or talked about as if not there.
- The right to receive a response to all communication, even when the desired outcome is not possible.
- The right to participate across settings as full communication partners.
- The right to interact socially and to build and keep relationships.
- The right to be given—and to understand—information about objects, actions, events, and people.
- The right to ask for or refuse objects, actions, events, and people.
- The right to express preferences and feelings, make comments, and share opinions.
- The right to make choices from meaningful options.
- The right to access services and supports for communication across the lifespan.
- The right to individualized, working augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems and other assistive technology (AT) at all times.
We invite all members of FraXI to engage with the pre-launch of our campaign – we want to hear from you! Do you have thoughts on your #RightToCommunication? Tell us via info@fraxi.org.
X/X/2024
We are a force! We are people with many strengths and we work every day to show the world the power of participation, inclusion and community. Stand with us and support us by spreading our message of rights and possibilities.
X/X/2023
You can read the history of our celebrations here: https://www.fraxi.org/default.asp?
s=awarenessday. We celebrate on X.X. in honour of the X chromosome, after which
Fragile X Syndrome is named.
Our slogan this year is Together Making A Difference. Together, all of our countries and
family associations come together to make a difference. We raise awareness across
borders about Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) and Fragile X Premutation Associated
Conditions (FXPAC). We are unified in our desire to promote inclusion and equality for
all those living with FXS and FXPAC, fighting discrimination, stigmatisation and
ostracisation. Celebrations, activities, conferences and webinars are organised in many
of our countries for X.X. Below is a list of many of these events. Together, we are making
a difference!
Italy Associazione Italiana Sindrome X Fragile: more than 30 lit up
monuments, October 10th; interviews on local television stations, October
3rd; talking about Fragile X Syndrome, September 23rd; a webinar to
reward the best inclusive school practices, October 10th
https://www.xfragile.net/
Switzerland Fraxas: Research on Fragile X Syndrome. Open day at
Professor Bagni Laboratory. Lausanne October 7th
https://fraxas.ch/accueil/
India Fragile X Society: stall at IIT Roorke’s Annual Festival. 13th-15th
October
https://www.fragilex.in/
Catalonia Associació Catalana Sindrome X Fràgil: Fundraising show,
Barcelona October 22nd
https://www.xfragil.cat/
Germany Frax Interessengemeinschaft Fragiles -X e.V.: Congress for
families, Oberlahr from September 29th to October 1st
https://www.frax.de/
Spain Federación española del Síndrome X-Frágil: Press Release and letter
to the Spanish MEPs in the European Parliament, October 10th;
Informative table in Valencia, City Coucil, October 5th; Painting and music
workshop, Calahorra, La Rioja, October 7th
https://xfragil.org/
Poland Fundacja Rodzina Fra X: The story of FraXI the Dwarf on social
medias
https://www.rodzinafrax.pl/
France Fragile X: Launch of the new graphic identity. New logo, new
website and a Fragile X France mascote joining
https://www.xfra.org/
Denmark Landsforeningen for Fragilt X Syndrom i Danmark: National FX
family Weekend, Middelfart, September 29th-October 1st
https://fragiltx.dk/
Netherlands Fragiele X Vereniging: Picnic with FX families, September
17th; “Contact” day for parents and relatives in Baarn, November 4th
https://www.fragielex.nl/
Portugal Associação Portuguesa da Síndrome do X-Frágil: Workshop
about intellectual disability and family meeting, Ramo Grande Auditorium
Foyer, Terceira Island, Azores, October 14th
https://www.apsxf.org/
X/X/2022
For International Fragile X Awareness Day (#XX2022) we invited families from anywhere in the world to send us a short video clip of living with Fragile X Syndrome and what that represents to them. We were delighted to receive such excellent videos from so many different countries showing that, while we all live in different parts of the world and speak different languages, we can work together as one unified strong voice to increase understanding and knowledge about Fragile X Syndrome. The representative themes of the videos families sent in included both positive aspects such as the strengths of people with Fragile X as well as challenging issues they have to overcome in everyday life.
In the 10 days leading up to 10 October FraXI ran an information campaign on social media. Each day an important fact about Fragile X Syndrome was posted on twitter and facebook to raise awareness and knowledge about Fragile X and associated conditions.
Help us spread the word, follow us on Twitter: @FraXI_FragileX and Facebook: @FragileXInternational where you will find out more about how countries around the world are celebrating International Fragile X Awareness Day.
Other activities include illumination of buildings and landmarks, festivals, and physical activities such as walks and runs and gatherings of family organisations.
Why is it on 10th October every year?
The European Fragile X Network countries came together in 2011 to agree a common Fragile X Awareness Day: X.X. (October 10th). Getting all of the countries to agree October 10th wasn’t easy, but compromise was found! A significant date referencing the X chromosome was chosen: X.X. Previous to that everyone had their own national awareness days, some dating back to the formation of their associations in 1990. X.X. has been celebrated internationally ever since. We welcome everyone joining in to celebrate all things Fragile X on October 10th.
