Lausanne, Oct 02, 2012: Organised by the Development Department of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) in conjunction with the German Table Tennis Association (DTTB) and the equipment supplier Butterfly, the project “Ping Pong Paix”, won the “Innovation in Sports Marketing” accolade at the recent inaugural International Sports Marketing 360 Awards sponsored by Clipper Ventures.
A new set of awards designed to recognise talent and innovation in the international sport industry, the announcements were made at the BT (British Telecom) Centre in east London on Thursday 27th September 2012, following the Sports Marketing 360 conference.
“Ping Pong Paix” focused on two villages in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Luvungi, Bwegera) and two villages in neighbouring Burundi (Gihanga, Gitega); areas where children had been recruited as soldiers and tribal conflicts existed.
In December 2011, Switzerland’s Georg Silberschmidt conducted an Olympic Solidarity Technical Course with Sweden’s Peter Karlsson, winner of World and European titles, being present as part of the “Champions for Peace” project promoted by Peace and Sport.
Butterfly supplied 10 table tennis tables, 200 rackets, 20 gross of balls and 400 shirts with the two youngsters from each of the four villages, in addition to local officials being guests of the German Table Tennis Association at the LIEBHERR World Team Championships in Dortmund earlier this year.
“This is a great honour for the ITTF; this peace project is an excellent initiative to bring together politically feuding parties to focus on a common objective for the benefit of youth and sport”, said Adham Sharara, the ITTF President. “It is nice to be awarded and recognized but what is more important is for the ITTF and its partners to continue with innovative projects for the benefit of those in need.”
It is the third project in the International Table Tennis Federation’s “Peace through Ping Pong” projects; all being organized in co-operation with Peace and Sport and Butterfly.
“We commenced with Colombia in 2009, East Timor in 2010 and now the Democratic Republic of Congo – Burundi project in 2011-2012”, said Glenn Tepper, the ITTF Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director Development. “While recognition is not sought after it is greatly appreciated and provides great motivation to our key partners.”
One of the major highlights of the whole concept was the visit to the LIEBHERR World Team Championships in Dortmund in March and April 2012, where the party was able to rub shoulders with the star names from the German National Team.
“We are proud being a part of this wonderful project; looking into the eyes of the children and seeing them play table tennis was the best evidence that the project was a success”, enthused Mattias Vattheur, the General Secretary of the German Table Tennis Association. “We are working on equipment funding alongside the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs for each of the four villages.”
A successful project and proof, if it was needed, that table tennis is the sport for all. —- ITTF/Photo: Remy Gros
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