Small ideas can have a big impact. The second edition of the Friendship Trophy to encourage girls and women to participate in the sport of table tennis has become a worldwide dimension. The event was staged in all continents and the United Nations and its Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace, Germany’s Willi Lemke, will not regret their support. Table Tennis around the World
In far away lands of the world, as far as one can get from where we were in the little town of Morges on the shores of the Lac Leman of Switzerland, table tennis was played on 8th March 2009, to celebrate women’s day.
Towns such as Bariloche or Dina Huapi in Argentina, Puerto Natales in Patagonia Chile, North Harbour in New Zealand, Colombo in Sri Lanka, Cochabamba in Bolivia, Kinshasa in the Congo DR, Koumac in New Caledonia, just to name a few of the places, joined each other in the same effort to promote women, friendship and the fun of playing table tennis.
United Nations Millennium Goal
Table tennis celebrated women’s day by ensuring that in remote corners of the world, the UN Millennium Goal of empowering women and girls through sport was addressed. The Friendship Trophy was based on a simple formula – having fun and ensuring that the UN message was heard. The matches were played in mixed teams or women’s teams only!
Mayors of Morges and Renens Played at the Swiss Friendship Trophy
The idea originated at the ITTF in Switzerland together with the regional table tennis Association. The Swiss Friendship Trophy took place in the little town of Morges, where the two female mayors of Morges and Renens (the town where the ITTF headquarters are based) played in the event. 40 teams took part and it was GREAT FUN. At the same time the same event was held in different parts of the world, on all the Continents.
Members from the International Working Group for Women and Sport (IWG) joined national or local table tennis Associations to organise the event. Thank you to the organisers and thank you to all those that supported the event, in particular the manufacturer STAG from India.
source: www.ittf.com
