Hundreds gathered outside the central post office in San José to hear speeches about autism spectrum disorder on Monday night.
Services for people with autism in Costa Rica remain extremely limited, and families routinely wait years for an official diagnosis.
“Light It Up Blue” is an international campaign to raise awareness in concordance with Autism Awareness Month. Past celebrations have shone a blue light on major landmarks, such as the Sphinx in Egypt and Empire State Building in New York.
Instead of a blue light, the crowd in San José released a cloud of blue helium balloons into the air.