It is a day for the global table tennis family to share their passion for our sport, join forces and contribute to make table tennis more universal, popular and inclusive.
This year brings the second consecutive World Table Tennis Day under Covid-19 restrictions, and therefore the celebrations will represent the physical and digital activities but all of them aiming for the same impact. The 7th edition of World Table Tennis Day is highlighting 229 events across 62 countries making it a day full of action and celebration of solidarity across the globe.This year’s edition is dedicated to gender equality and FEMpowerment through table tennis. The aim is to engage our table tennis community to contribute to this area which will result in not only raised awareness about gender equality but increase female representation and participation in table tennis through various initiatives and projects.
To achieve this objective and to also encourage social engagement and interest in this year’s WTTD, all three entities of the ITTF Group expanded their focus to the lead up to the day itself, launching the #FEMpowerment Campaign where gender balance and female empowerment in table tennis were addressed comprehensively and holistically, starting from 1 March and leading up to 6 April.
1 March – 6 April – Inspirational Women Campaign
Interview & Quotes of Women in Table Tennis
Link: https://ittffoundation.org/home
1 March – 6 April – #FEMpowerment Campaign 2021
Photo campaign for social media followers
Link: https://www.facebook.com/ittffoundation
3 March – ITTF HPD Webinar “#FEMpowering the table tennis family”
Link: https://youtu.be/A-iChJGOWHY
8 March – Workshop “Girls & Women Empowerment in Sport for All”
Online webinar in partnership with TAFISA
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xO5g27qyLWs&list=PLY-5iNpfsR8o42A2ZCYID3KFEUnGXM2EZ
8 March – Conference on gender equality and FEMpowerment in table tennis
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FfA5n7ewGY
8 March – Weekly Training Lesson “Masters of Skill”
Special episode for International Women’s Day
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPQVrde1QnI&list=PLIl_mJ3zK7B_23hbxz-nNADnN_hJdwq_B
8 March – showcase the female stars at WTT Star Contender in Doha
Eight women’s single matches to be played on table one, featured with color purple
Link to the article: https://www.ittf.com/2021/03/08/ittf-group-unleashes-female-power-celebrates-international-womens-day/
8 March – 6 April – #FEMcampaign 2021
Virtual interview series of women in table tennis
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRQzM0RLsfU&list=PLIl_mJ3zK7B_dKOROU1PpefmDeIbQWzqm
March-April – Inspirational Women in Table Tennis
Videos of inspirational women in table tennis.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XfIcIGGTV8&list=RDCMUC9ckyA_A3MfXUa0ttxMoIZw&start_radio=1&t=6
6 April – #FEMpower moves
ITTF High Performance Training Camp video: https://youtu.be/16HXB-Ac29E
Table tennis has long been used as a tool to raise awareness for gender equality and female empowerment but as evident from the above initiatives, the ITTF Group has made every effort to make this month even more special and bring some innovative ideas and remarkable initiatives in order to educate and engage the table tennis family but also to present some of the female role models of our sport.
The wide scope of our actions includes players, coaches, match officials, leaders or women in para table tennis who were willing to share with us the wonderful stories but also give useful advices.
Other initiatives gathered panelists who were able to enlighten their audience with their vast knowledge and rich experience and give insight into problems and challenges encountered across the sport but also about possible solutions and good practices.
24-hour stream – all about table tennis
Throughout, we have all been waiting for the pinnacle of the #FEMpowerment campaign, 6 April – WORLD TABLE TENNIS DAY 2021 and with more to come!
Check out the 24 hour streaming with a varied programme that everybody is welcome to join, regardless of their location.
Meet your table tennis heroes, re-watch historical matches and learn from the pros… these are just a few things the ITTF Foundation has in store for you during the World Table Tennis Day 2021 celebrations! Here is the plan:
- Meet table tennis icons
Get as close as physically distanced encounters allow you to in meet-and greet-sessions with high profile table tennis athletes and seize this opportunity to ask some of your favourite players any question you would like.
- Get moving with virtual workouts
Break a sweat in one of the workout sessions! There will be table tennis specific workouts as well as more workouts such as Pilates.
- Perfect your skills
In cooperation with PingProfy, the ITTF Foundation offers live coaching sessions with world-class trainers available in English, Spanish, French and Arabic. Each session will be 45 min, which includes your chance to interact with the trainers in a Q&A-session. This is a unique chance to improve technique, work on weak spots and acquire new skills.
- Match day around the clock
Re-live iconic moments from table tennis history and watch some of the greatest athletes play again in captivating matches.
- Seminars and presentations
Educate yourself or take a deep dive into topics that have always interested you. The stream will include many stimulating seminars on gender quality, female empowerment, and how to promote and contribute to these issues using a sport like table tennis.
The stream runs from 6 April 1am (UTC+2) until 7 April 1am (UTC+2) and can be accessed through the social media channels of the ITTF Group:
ITTF Foundation: Facebook | YouTube
World Table Tennis: Facebook | YouTube
ITTF: Facebook
Win a T-shirt signed by Tomokazu Harimoto by showing your support
To show your support in combating gender inequality, share a photo making the “powerful pose” 💪🏽 on your social media with the hashtags #FEMpowerment and #WorldTableTennisDay.
For those of you looking for that extraordinary move to make your FEMpowerment photo submission special, Tomokazu Harimoto would be your go-to. As the youngest player to win the ITTF World Tour Grand Finals in 2018 and the recent winner of the WTT Star Contender Doha, the Japanese table tennis player is the rising star in the world of Ping-Pong.
The T-shirt signed by the young star could be yours!
Have Fun During Covid-19
With our 24-hour live streaming, the ITTF Foundation is aiming to make the World Table Tennis Day 2021 fun and empowering. All this would not have been possible without the help of our 47 dedicated World Table Tennis Day promoters. Coming from 35 countries and various walks of life, the promotors are at the forefront of spreading solidarity through table tennis. Many of them collaborate with NGOs or experts in gender equality and female empowerment backgrounds to educate their athletes/participants through awareness campaigns and educational workshops.
The celebration of World Table Tennis Day is not exclusively for professionals or players – it actually is all about having fun together. 6 April is meant to be socially inclusive, with its aim to involve as many people as possible in table tennis. No matter who and where you are in this world, regardless of your age, gender, social status, nationality, physical ability – join the celebrations for WTTD 2021 to empower women and girls in your community.