We have once again witnessed the power of unity and solidarity through table tennis on World Table Tennis Day on 6th April. Thanks to our 47 dedicated Promoters and the support of ITTF Group, 314 events and home celebrations took place in 98 countries and territories. Over 39,000 table tennis enthusiasts worldwide joined the celebration. The #FEMpowerment campaign has brought 614 female athletes to joining a club, while leaving our female Promoters feeling empowered.

The ITTF Foundation will continue with the #FEMpowerment campaign and looks to extend the essence of gender equity to all its programmes. In the meantime, Ping Pong Diplomacy will be the theme for World Table Tennis Day 2022 and is expected to be the centre message of our major campaigns and events in 2021 and 2022.

With great merit, we are happy to report that four out of five TT Dream Building Fund projects of 2020 have restarted after an extended pause due to Covid-19. Our project leaders in India, Ghana, Peru, and Tonga have shown remarkable creativity in dealing with the uncertainties. The ITTF Foundation has also expanded its partnership with The Foundation for Global Sports Development. The Dream Building Fund is now renamed as Dream Building Fund powered by GSD for the 2022 projects.

Among many other achievements in the second quarter of 2021, the fundraising campaign #TableTennisUnited is still sending help where it is needed. As of the end of July 2021, 57 donors around the world and the ITTF Group have joined our quest in helping 82 initiatives and individuals getting through this challenging time.

The ITTF Foundation Quarterly Update examines the progress made despite the Covid-19 challenges – as well as the flexibility our project managers and local communities exhibit. Our journey of using table tennis for development continues, as we look forward to the opportunities ahead, beyond the prevailing threat of Covid-19.

The report is available here.

About the ITTF Foundation: