Riyadh Event Inspires Stutterers on The Condition Awareness Day
RIYADH: Moayed Al-Qarni, 14, stood up to the microphone at an event in Riyadh to celebrate International Stuttering Awareness Day with a simple message. “My words are important and they deserve to be repeated.
His words struck a chord with many in the audience, including people who stutter, their families and speech professionals who had come together to address a problem that affects millions globally but is often misunderstood.
The event included personal tales, panel discussions and an open-mic session, providing a platform for people to speak freely about experiences that are often cloaked behind embarrassment or worry. “Don’t let your speech define you” has been one of the biggest lessons for 25-year-old architect and jiu-jitsu athlete Fatima Sharfi.
By reducing my chances to stutter, you reduce my chances to express myself,” she told Arab News. I never felt different because I stutter,” Sharfi said. “I grew up in a very supportive environment.”
The event was organised by Mutalathem, a Saudi initiative founded by Saad Al-Munajem in 2021 to help people who stammer through community events, peer support groups and youth initiatives. When I started in 2021, my primary aim was to set up support groups. “That’s it,” remarked Al-Munajem.
What started as a local movement has already spread beyond Saudi Arabia, with online support groups attracting people from all across the Arab world.
One of the most important accomplishments in the project was the establishment of camps for children and teenagers who stutter, he said.
We were providing something evidence-based, helping kids understand that communication doesn’t necessarily mean speaking fluently, he said.
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