New York, Sep 23 (IANS): Irish actor Colin Farrell will be honoured with the Ackerman Moving Families Forward Award here Oct 21.

The 37-year-old, whose 10-year-old son, James, suffers from Angelman Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder with symptoms including intellectual and developmental disability, will be given the award for advocating for the families of children with special needs, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

Farrell said that he feels privileged to be honoured by the Ackerman Institute for the Family.

"Ackerman has provided a platform of shared knowledge and experience that is essential for the sense of community that all parents long for, for themselves and their children. For parents who have been blessed with a child with special needs, this sense of community and togetherness takes on an even more immediate importance," Farrell said.

"The involvement and support offered throughout Ackerman's various programmes have made a great difference in so many lives and so, I am truly humbled to accept the award. As a proud father of a child with special needs, I accept it in honour of all parents everywhere, who work tirelessly to ensure that their children get all the care and support that they both need and so richly deserve," he added.