1. Functions of Ambassadors

1.1. The Ambassadors of Autistan must strive to inform, to assist and encourage all relevant authorities and organizations countries or territories, in order to improve the situation and lives of autistic people.
1.2. Especially, the Autistan Ambassadors will present and explain THE “Fundamental Rights of Autists according to the Autistan Diplomatic Organization“.
1.3. The Ambassadors of Autistan write (in collective work) letters intended for authorities or organizations in the countries where they represent Autistan. They do not send any letter or communication without the agreement of the Diplomatic Organization of Autistan.
1.4. The Ambassadors of Autistan can produce reports on the situation of autism and autistic people in a country, et perform various tasks useful to the Diplomatic Organization of Autistan.
1.5. Autistan Ambassadors should strive to represent Autistan (that is to say the mental world of autistic people, or autism) with national authorities and organizations.
1.6. On the symbolic level, we can consider that the Ambassadors of Autistan indirectly and non-legally represent the “Natives”(i.e. people born autistic, as a people who can be considered a “autistic nation”).
1.7. They do not legally represent autistic people in any particular country or territory : this is the role of autistic organizations in each country or territory.
Noticed : When such an organization does not exist, Ambassadors should strive to promote its creation, with the assistance of appropriate national authorities and organizations.
- Organizations that help autistic people can be autistic organizations.
  They should try to obtain the necessary means and support, which may constitute an obligation for public authorities.
  In this case, Ambassadors should endeavor to recall and explain these obligations, and encourage the authorities to apply them in a concrete manner.

2. Conditions and rules

2.1. All Ambassador of Autistan must be an autistic person, with evidence of autism (current or old, but sufficient to convince our Organization).
2.2. All Ambassador of Autistan may present with any “type” or “level” of autism (including non-verbal).
2.3. Every Autistan Ambassador must have at least 15 ans.
2.4. All Ambassador of Autistan peut be a man or a woman (or any variation of this, including “not identified”).
Noticed : The language used in our pages is masculine (according to a certain traditional usage), but this is only to avoid heaviness in the sentences.
We do not discriminate (neither negative nor positive) about the “genres”.
2.5. Except for exceptions (particularly in the case of certain already existing Ambassadors), the Ambassadors of Autistan must not reside or have interests (existing or potential) in the state or territory in which they represent Autistan.
If in doubt, they must provide proof of absence of risk of conflict of interest situation or communion of interests.
2.6. An Ambassador of Autistan must never use their status for personal advantage or for a need for social recognition, he must not mention his status as Ambassador outside the framework and media supports of the Organization.
Notably, if he shares publications from the Organization that mention him (like letters signed by him), he must not add any comment or explanation exposing his participation, apart from the only acceptable comments in case of questions, which are either “No comment”, either a hypertext link to the article on the Autistan site in question.
2.7. From 2023 :
- Photos of new Ambassadors are no longer published (but they can be blurred or stylized),
- They must use only their first name and the initial of their last name (nor more, no less),
  - In case of handwritten signature, this must not allow the surname to be clearly recognized.
2.8. All Ambassador of Autistan, when acting as Ambassador, must never speak for himself, but always for Autistan or the Diplomatic Organization of Autistan.
2.9. All Ambassador of Autistan will have a high conduct of nature “diplomatic” and high morals during any action as an Ambassador of Autistan.
2.10. All Ambassador of Autistan, when acting as Ambassador, must adopt behavior consistent with the main characteristics of autism (such as authenticity, integrity, sincerity, honesty, straightness, coherence, the precision).
While remaining polite, when acting as an Ambassador he must not use the characteristics “opposite” (typical of non-autism), especially the handling, even if it's “playing a role” for the purposes of the cause.
2.11. If an Ambassador, when acting as Ambassador, cannot behave as stated here (particularly due to sensory or mental attacks attributable to the socio-generated environment), then its actions may be reviewed or canceled by the Organization.
2.12. The fact of not provide complete and accurate accounts on his actions (when necessary and requested) is not compatible with the function of Ambassador of Autistan.
2.13. Refusing to read a public document or refusing to watch a public documentary useful on autism in the country in question (for example for fear of being disturbed or suffering) is not compatible with the function of Ambassador of Autistan.
2.14. The Ambassadors of Autistan are consulted by the Organization but have no decision-making power. They cannot decide anything alone about their actions within the framework of the Organization.
Being an Ambassador of Autistan is useful for the cause but is also a privilege, which does not give any right to any demands on their part.
2.15. Any Ambassador may be revoked by the Organization for justified reasons and with the right to explanations and a fair defense.
Notably, in case of disagreement that cannot be resolved, he can be removed as discretionally as he was appointed.
2.16. Given that Ambassadors do not reside in the countries assigned to them, they can be Ambassadors for several countries simultaneously (if all conditions are met, in particular the absence of conflicts of interest).

2.1. Extracts from our Statutes particularly concerning Ambassadors

“0.6.4. Limitations to protect against the dangers of materialism

The Organization, its Constituent Entities, its members and participants must ensure and guarantee that their activities, dispositions, decisions and others, are not likely to create or increase a risk linked to financial or material incentives or benefits (or materialistic).

Especially :

- L’association “Administrative Headquarters of Autistan”, subject of these statutes and guarantor of the regularity and sustainability of the Organization, cannot have a bank account or any form of financial assets or activity (including with virtual currencies). (This is stipulated in the chapter 1.5.)
- Particular care must be taken to combat conflict situations (or confusion) of interests. If in doubt, whatever is necessary must be done without delay to guarantee the absence of such a risk.
- Members or participants, sans exceptions, are not eligible for reimbursement of travel expenses, of a meal, travel and stays. (On the other hand, they are not prohibited from having them financed by sponsors.)

0.6.5. Limitations to protect against social traps harmful to autistic people in particular

The best arrangements must be put in place to ensure that publications or other actions of the Organization cannot increase publicity., honor or ‘social recognition’ (or another advantage) of a participant (in particular of “Ambassadors of Autistan”).

For this purpose and in particular :

a- Members or participants must not mention their link with the Organization outside of actions or publications created by it. (or in which they participate). Notably, they must not do so in any publication, page or “profile” personnel.

b- With the exception of participants whose faces already appeared on the Internet pages (or other publications) before the date of entry into force of these statutes :

b1- it is not allowed to display “clear” the faces of the participants (and in particular “Ambassadors of Autistan”) ;

b2- surnames must be reduced to their initial letters,
in our publications mentioning their link with the Organization (and as for publications that we do not manage, they must not mention this link (cf. “a” upper) and they are obviously not affected by this ban.
To not appear “clear”, it is necessary to apply a blur or “stylization” on photos or videos, so as not to be able to recognize people.

c- The Organization does not organize conferences or events intended to raise awareness or inform the “general public”, because it is not in its objectives and because such a perspective would attract motivated people (consciously or not) by their thirst for “social recognition”.”

3. Autistan Special Ambassadors

3.1. This status is mainly intended for “autistic travelers” or to expatriates, or other autistic people who may represent Autistan to some extent, without corresponding to the status or usual conditions of Ambassadors.
3.2. The roles, missions, functions and other characteristics of Special Ambassadors are defined on a case-by-case basis and depending on the situation, and may not always be subject to the rules and conditions set out above.

4. Details

4.1. Clarification on representativeness and Ambassadors

In summary, when we are “in Autistan”, we are “in autism”, that is to say in thoughts, ideas, behaviours, autistic achievements, characterized in particular by authenticity and originality, as opposed to having “standard” thoughts and attitudes that automatically follow social norms and conventions created collectively by other people.
So the notion of Autistan is a notion quite close to autism.

So the Autistan Diplomatic Organization strives to “represent” autism, as a notion, rather than autistic people themselves.
It therefore represents a “virtual country” or one “monde” in the abstract sense of the term, who is Autistan or autism, and not the “citizens” of this country.
So, Ambassadors do not exactly “represent” autistic people, but rather autism.

We can also say that they “represent” autistic people overall., seen as an “autistic nation”, but only morally or symbolically, and without a legal or political representative role.
In the same way as the Ambassadors of “official” countries (conventional, physiques) do not represent the inhabitants of their country, but the State or government which appointed them.

The real or legal representation of autistic people in a country must be done by autistic people in that country., and in particular by their representative organizations.
It cannot be done by a foreign organization (or we are “foreigners” in all countries, since we are an “extra-national” organization), nor by the Ambassadors who are also foreigners.

4.2. Relations between Ambassadors and “Natives” of Autistan:

Ambassadors do not have official or formal relationships with individuals “Natives” (that is to say the autistic people of a country), because their mission is to represent Autistan (and not autistic nationals) with the authorities and organizations of a given country.
Autistan Ambassadors cannot help or defend autistic people in a country or territory in general, nor any autistic individual (at least within the framework of their role as Ambassador, but they can do whatever they want independently).
Natives may have various types of relationships and participations with the Autistan Diplomatic Organization: either directly with Headquarters, either with the Consular Section of the Embassy of Autistan in their country or territory, which could exist in the future.

4.3. More details

The Autistan Diplomatic Organization wants to find autistic people who might be interested in being Ambassadors, but avoiding the trap of “social recognition”, which is very difficult because most autistic people “sufficiently socialized” are prisoners of this trap which is unconsciously taught by society.
Another problem is that it is an abstract function and “collective”, the opposite of autistic functioning.
In view of the great difficulties in this area, and the very great volatility of this highly paradoxical function, the choice of eligible autistic people is made at the discretion of the leading members of the Organization, which is not a problem since the Ambassadors do not concentrate any power.
Although Autistan is not recognized as a “TRUE” pays, the concept of the Autistan Diplomatic Organization, with its Embassies and Ambassadors, is perfectly valid as’Non-State Actor of Parallel diplomacy.
The existence of a physical Embassy in a country is not necessary to be an Ambassador.

5. Ambassadors of Autistan

Here are some autistic people who have agreed to be Autistan Ambassadors.

Most are no longer active, and are now “Ambassadors Emeritus“
We are grateful to them for helping to start our Organization (in particular between 2016 et 2019), by their very symbolic implication.

At 2023, The Autistan Diplomatic Organization is no longer actively seeking new Ambassadors, due to the extremely paradoxical and delicate nature of this function (very abstract and very “dangerous” with regard to the risks of “social shine”).
However, it remains possible to appoint new Ambassadors (with their agreement obviously), case by case, depending on the circumstances, as long as the conditions and rules are all respected.

BE (Belgium)

Online Embassy : https://Autistan.be

Francois D. (“Emeritus Ambassador”)

BR (Brazil)

Online Embassy : https://autistan.ong.br/

BR-AM (Brazil, State of Amazonas) – Manaus :

Bruno D. (“Emeritus Ambassador”)

BR-DF (Brazil, State of Distrito Federal) – Brasilia :

George V.

BR-MG (Brazil, State of Minas Gerais) – Belo Horizonte :

Victor M. (“Emeritus Ambassador”)

BR-SP (Brazil, State of São Paulo) – São Paulo :

Gladstone A.

BR-SP (Brazil, State of Rio Grande do Sul) – Porto Alegre :

Isadora F.

FR (France)

Online Embassy : https://Autistan.fr

Hugo Horiot (“Emeritus Ambassador”)

(The surname is not reduced to an initial because this person was already very well known in the world of autism in his country before we met., and she doesn't need us for her “image sociale” possible.)

Alistair R. (Current and active ambassador)