The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) together with Peace & Sport brought table tennis to the Za’atari Refugee Camp at the Jordan border with Syria in celebration of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) and World Table Tennis Day today 6 April 2018.
World Table Tennis Day which is in its fourth edition in 2018 is the celebration of the joy to play Table Tennis. On 6 April table tennis fans from all around the world will show that Table Tennis is a sport for everyone everywhere.
This year the ITTF held its main celebration event at the Za’atari Refugee Camp using table tennis as a tool for promoting peace.
ITTF President Thomas WEIKERT who is at the Za’atari Refugee Camp with ITTF Foundation Director Leandro OLVECH and Olympic Champion RYU Seungmin shared “6 April 2018 marks a significant stepping stone in the history of the ITTF and we are glad to share this date with Peace & Sport one of our strongest partners of our Development Program since 2008.”
He added “Today we celebrate the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace and the World Table Tennis Day but also this marks the launch of the ITTF-Nittaku Dreambuilding with Refugees Project as well as the soft inauguration of the ITTF Foundation which aims to promote solidarity through table tennis. All these initiatives use sport for positive social outcomes. As an international organization it is our task to lead by example and also to motivate others to include acts of integration into their daily lives.”
President and Founder of Peace and Sport Joel BOUZOU stated “We are very happy to team up with ITTF in the celebration of the April 6th the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace in the Za’atari Refugee Camp in Jordan. On this day Peace & Sport will bring together high level athletes international sport federations and local NGO’s committed to stand for refugees. Today more than ever sport can be used as a vehicle to heal bring a sense of normalcy and support social inclusion programs for refugees in host communities and camps.”
Other than the main World Table Tennis Day event at the Za’atari Refugee Camp table tennis enthusiasts from all over the world are taking their rackets to enjoy the sport.
Together with National Associations and table tennis fans 443 events are being held in 93 countries across the globe including large mass participation table tennis fun parks and playing a game of table tennis on a boat sailing out to the black sea in Turkey!
Social media today was also flooded with well wishes from top table tennis stars around the world such as Quadri ARUNA Bernadette SZOCS and Paralymic Champion Anna-Carin AHLQUIST wishing table tennis fans Happy World Table Tennis Day.
Find more information on the World Table Tennis Day and events happening around the globe on TT4All.com!
