Archives | 26 Oct 2011
Global sport breaks new boundaries for peace
27/10/2011 – Ten nations have officially confirmed they will participate in the “Peace and Sport Table Tennis Cup”, an historic table tennis tournament conceived to encourage dialogue and reconciliation between nations, which will be hel
27/10/2011 – Ten nations have officially confirmed they will participate in the “Peace and Sport Table Tennis Cup”, an historic table tennis tournament conceived to encourage dialogue and reconciliation between nations, which will be held in Qatar on 21 – 22 November 2011.
The 10 competing nations officially revealed today by Joel BOUZOU President and Founder of Peace and Sport, are the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), Republic of Korea (South Korea), People’s Republic of China, Japan, India, Pakistan, Russia, the United States of America (USA), France and hosts Qatar.
The tournament will last two days and boasts a prize fund of $100,000 for the winners. Organized by the Qatar Table Tennis Association, with support from the National Olympic Committee of Qatar, under the leadership of the ITTF and the guidance of Peace and Sport. This unprecedented sports event aims to ease political tensions and unite nations through table tennis, a sport with a rich historical past of doing just that.In Qatar “Ping-Pong Diplomacy” returns.
Joel BOUZOU, President and Founder of Peace and Sport said: “The first Peace and Sport Table Tennis Cup is set to be a great event! It will foster communication and political reconciliation at the highest level, since diplomats and government representatives from the 10 participating nations are invited to watch the tournament. We are extremely proud to have succeeded in gathering together, under the banner of sport, countries that refuse to mix in other contexts. The neutral status of sport plays the role of mediator on the international diplomatic stage. This tournament will make a step to encourage dialogue between countries, to promote mutual understanding and peace”.