Draft:ITTF Foundation

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  • Comment: Zero evidence of notability per WP:ORG, only cites the organisation's own website as source. DoubleGrazing (talk) 17:20, 15 August 2025 (UTC)


ITTF Foundation

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The ITTF Foundation was established in 2018 as an independent non-profit organization in the Sport for Development (S4D) space by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF)[1]. The Foundation is designed to leverage table tennis as a tool to for social change and development by creating inclusive safe spaces for physical activity, with the overall aim of addressing comprehensive social interventions that link directly to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).[2]

Since its inception, the ITTF Foundation has executed various programmes to make table tennis more accessible to communities around the world, improve overall physical health and mental well-being, and tackle a range of social issues, from gender inequality and sexual education to refugee integration[3] and the environment.[1] The ITTF Foundation has been recognised for these efforts and other achievements at various international award ceremonies[4], including the Sports Business Awards, where they have received 27 international citations and won 8 awards for a commitment to building a healthier world through table tennis[5].

Founding History

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As the governing body for all 227 national table tennis Member Associations and more than 30 million players worldwide, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) is in charge of maintaining effective implementation of table tennis rules and regulations, the continuous evaluation and modernisation of the sport and the organisation and execution of international competitions, including the World Table Tennis Championships.[1]

In alignment with their values, on May 1, 2018 in Halmstad, Sweden at the Annual General Assembly, the ITTF formally agreed to create the “ITTF Foundation” as a not-for-profit to reinforce their commitment to community engagement and social impact through sport.[1]

While the two institutions work closely together, the ITTF Foundation is not part of the ITTF and under German law as of March 2019, the ITTF Foundation operates from an independent organisational and financial standpoint. However, the Foundation is part of the ITTF Group, which includes World Table Tennis, the commercial and events subsidiary as well[6]. The ITTF Foundation is currently based in Leipzig, Germany, working with partners worldwide, including NGOs, governments and international sports organisations[7], to deliver the philanthropic efforts of the Group. [1]

Further Reading

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ITTF Foundation Mission

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The ITTF Foundation uses table tennis to empower communities all over the world. While it is a fun and leisure activity, table tennis encourages people to live healthier lifestyles, while enhancing overall mental and physical well-being. Through intentional programming, ITTF Foundation incorporates table tennis as a vehicle for social inclusion and cohesion, attracting individuals from all backgrounds and integrating communities irrespective of age, gender, culture or physical abilities. The ITTF Foundation advocates for sustainable development of communities and through its comprehensive programming is able to empower local participants to implement table tennis as part of their solution-set to connect with marginalised groups and bridge social and health opportunity gaps.[8]

Programmes & Projects

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ITTF Foundation programming is made up of 3 core programmes and 2 opportunity-driven initiatives to collectively carry out the strategic direction and commitment of using table tennis to make the world a healthier and more prosperous place.[8]

Core Programmes

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TT Dream Building

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The TT Dream Building programme - comprising of the Dream Building Fund (DBF) and Dream Building with Refugees - works with local implementation partners to address community problems through table tennis for development programming. The aim of these interventions is to support local communities in establishing self-sustainable programming that serves community needs in the long-term.[9]

The DBF is a biennial open call for funding where the ITTF Foundation provides financial resources - between 10,000 and 35,00 EUR - as well as strategic and capacity building support, to five or six projects using table tennis for change, for a 2-to-3 year period.[10]

TT4ALL

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Through TT4ALL programming, which includes initiatives such as World Table Tennis Day and Tables 4 ALL, the ITTF Foundation aims to make the table tennis more accessible to all, regardless of demographic, with an intentional focus on refugees, individuals with disabilities and girls and women.[8]

World Table Tennis Day (WTTD) is the flagship initiative.[11] Celebrated every year on 23 April since 2023. The first two years of (WTDD) in 2021 and 2022, the celebration was held on 6 April.[12] This day showcases the unifying power of table tennis. In 2025, more than 845 events took place across 146 countries, demonstrating the capacity of table tennis to bridge social barriers and connect communities across the globe.[13]

TT4Health

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The TT4Health programme promotes the social, mental and physical health benefits of table tennis on a global scale. The programme acknowledges the wide range of physical, mental, and social advantages that can be gained from engaging in table tennis and aims to capitalise on the sport's accessibility and inclusivity to tackle various health issues, while encouraging an active lifestyle.[8]

The World Table Tennis for Health Festival (WTT4HF), which includes the World Parkinson's Table Tennis Championships (WPTTC), World Alzheimer's Table Tennis Championships (WATTC) and the World Table Tennis for Health Congress (WTT4HC), is an annual, multi-event initiative organised by the ITTF Foundation to spotlight the health advantages of table tennis[14], specifically designed for individuals living with neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs)[15], like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.[16]

In addition, the ITTF Foundation is part of the consortium for SWAN, a European Union ERASMUS+ Sport Project which aims to raise awareness around the benefits of table tennis on NDDs and increase collaboration between stakeholders in order to continue the proliferation of Table Tennis for Health (TT4H) programmes.[17]

Opportunity-Driven Programmes

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Ping Pong Diplomacy

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The Ping Pong Diplomacy programme aims to highlight the use of table tennis as a tool for peace and conflict resolution between divided communities. Historically, ping pong has played a role in re-establishing fractured diplomatic relations through unified participation in the sport, including the USA and China in the 1970s. This tradition of unified teams competing together in events has continued through the years, including 2011 in Qatar, which saw the USA play with Russia, North Korea and South Korea, as well as India and Pakistan. The unifying power of table tennis was magnified in 2018, when North and South Korea created a Unified Team at several events during the Seamaster 2018 ITTF World Tour and the ITTF World Tour Grand Finals.[18] [19] The ITTF Foundation has maintained their advocacy for table tennis as a platform for safety and peace, as demonstrated by their most recent 2018 pledge, alongside the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Olympic Refuge Foundation and 80 other sports organisations, to promote and enable equal sport access for refugees at all sporting levels.[20]

TTLegacy

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The TTLegacy program is designed to ensure that a positive, sustainable legacy is left behind in communities after the completion of ITTF Group events, with specific action surrounding the principles of People, Planet and Prosperity.  

  • People is about acknowledging and evaluating the overall impact of table tennis activities at the community level, as well as on individuals, addressing both the positive and negative outcomes
  • Planet focuses on how table tennis can evolve and assess its overall environmental impact as a sport, as well as be a tool for education and raise awareness around environmental concerns, challenges and solutions
  • Prosperity highlights community best practices that can foster long-term economic growth without sacrificing social, environmental and cultural values, spotlighting table tennis advantages beyond financial gains.

Ultimately, the TT Legacy program seeks to transfer knowledge to local communities around best practices for table tennis events that promote positive contributions to the well-being of surrounding natural environments, preserve and foster community cohesion and ensure that events cause no harm.[8]

  1. ^ a b c d e Nagpal, Kabir (2019-08-29). "ITTF Foundation HQ: Official Inauguration in Germany". International Table Tennis Federation. Archived from the original on 2024-08-14. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
  2. ^ "CSR". International Table Tennis Federation. Archived from the original on 2024-03-03. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
  3. ^ "Together with refugees is how we see it at the ITTF Foundation". sportanddev. Archived from the original on 2025-08-14. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
  4. ^ Daish, Simon (2019-11-05). "TATA Trickshot and ITTF Foundation nominated for SPIA Awards". International Table Tennis Federation. Archived from the original on 2023-12-07. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
  5. ^ "Past Recipients - 2025 Sports Business Awards". www.sports-business-awards.com. Retrieved 2025-09-03.
  6. ^ "Strategic Plan". strategicplan.ittf.com. Archived from the original on 2024-11-09. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
  7. ^ Kok, Seline (2023-06-20). "Special Olympics and ITTF Foundation Sign MOU at World Games Berlin 2023". International Table Tennis Federation. Archived from the original on 2025-04-29. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
  8. ^ a b c d e "ITTF Foundation". sportanddev. Archived from the original on 2025-04-24. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
  9. ^ "Applications now open for table tennis Dream Building Fund Generation 2026". sportanddev. Retrieved 2025-09-03.
  10. ^ Sakthimogan, Nathiyaah (2025-07-22). "Dream Building Fund Generation 2026: Applications Now Open!". International Table Tennis Federation. Retrieved 2025-09-03.
  11. ^ Sakthimogan, Nathiyaah (2025-04-23). "World Table Tennis Day 2025 Unites Global Community Under Theme of Diversity and Inclusion". International Table Tennis Federation. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
  12. ^ Nagpal, Kabir (2020-10-07). "World Table Tennis Day 2021: For one, for all". International Table Tennis Federation. Archived from the original on 2024-10-06. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
  13. ^ "Table tennis belongs to everyone: Wrapping up World Table Tennis Day 2025". sportanddev. Archived from the original on 2025-05-25. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
  14. ^ Lavier, Tristan (2023-11-02). "ITTF Foundation Launches Inaugural "World Table Tennis For Health Festival"". International Table Tennis Federation. Archived from the original on 2024-06-19. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
  15. ^ Armitt, Keely (2024-10-28). "2024 World Table Tennis for Health Festival". Table Tennis England. Archived from the original on 2025-03-26. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
  16. ^ "Registration now open for the 2025 World Table Tennis for Health festival". sportanddev. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
  17. ^ McGhee, Christy (2025-07-30). "EU SWAN table tennis initiative set to help people with Parkinson's". Parkinson's Europe. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
  18. ^ Daish, Simon (2021-12-16). "Ping Pong Diplomacy: A historical event with lasting message". International Table Tennis Federation. Archived from the original on 2024-10-14. Retrieved 2025-09-03.
  19. ^ admin (2018-05-24). "ITTF Foundation Established to Build Solidarity Through Table Tennis - European table tennis union". Archived from the original on 2025-07-15. Retrieved 2025-09-03.
  20. ^ "Sport for Refugees Coalition: from pledges to actions - Olympic News". www.olympics.com. Archived from the original on 2025-07-03. Retrieved 2025-08-18.