Uganda joins in the 2025 World Table Tennis Day celebrations

Uganda has joined the rest of the globe to celebrate the World Table Tennis Day on Wednesday, 23^rd April 2025.

Hoima city-based Hoima Child Rights Network Club (HONECRIC) spurred the celebrations in the county on the World Table Tennis Day which is rhyming alongside the theme “Inclusion and diversity in sports”.

For starters, Honecric is an organization that combines about 10 Table Tennis clubs in Hoima under one roof.

Uganda Table Tennis Association (UTTA) president has hailed the work of Honecric towards the growth of this sport in the country.

“Honecric has helped the sport of Table Tennis to show that disability is not inability. It encourages able bodied players to mix well and play with the disabled players. Sincere thanks to Mr Lloyd Birungi and his entire team for promoting the sport in Hoima and for using the Table Tennis sport to bridge social inequalities while reducing Stigmatization of the disabled members in Ugandan communities.”  Jagwe remarks.

In Uganda, Table Tennis is popular among schools (primary, secondary and universities).

The sport is also played among the different clubs under UTTA, social clubs, hotels, on corporate sports galas and among the Ghetto communities.

The global event was held in Nairobi city, Kenya.

This landmark event not only signifies Kenya’s growing influence in the international table tennis scene but also highlights the sport’s powerful role in driving social change at the grassroots level.

Over the past three years, the ITTF Foundation, through its Dream Building Fund (DBF), has collaborated with Vision Changers Kenya on the “Hope kwa Vijana Mtaani” project.

This initiative has used table tennis as a tool for crime prevention, rehabilitation, and social reintegration, impacting over 880 youth in informal settlements like Mukuru Kwa Njenga and Kariobangi.

The program’s success is reflected in a noticeable decrease in juvenile offenses, thanks to its focus on community-based, positive engagement.

WTTD 2025 continues to champion the global theme of “Diversity and Inclusion,” positioning table tennis as a sport that bridges divides across age, gender, ability, and background.

The Nairobi celebrations took place at City Hall and throughout the Mukuru Kwa Njenga area, with a wide range of inclusive activities:

Inclusive tournaments featured mixed doubles, community challenge matches, and appearances by celebrities to promote fun and unity over competition.

Roundtable discussions focused on the role of sport in building inclusive communities and how stakeholders can promote diversity.

The exhibitions highlighted the history of table tennis in Kenya and showcase promising local talent.

Meanwhile, the community engagement involved schools, NGOs, and volunteers, with a focus on empowering youth, women, and persons with disabilities.

There were a couple of cultural performances, including live music and art, to celebrate Kenya’s vibrant heritage and bring the community together.

The ITTF Foundation called upon on communities across the world to join the celebration, register their events, and share their stories, reinforcing the message that table tennis is for everyone.

Nairobi’s hosting of the main WTTD event stands as a testament to the sport’s power to unite, uplift, and inspire, showing that table tennis is more than a game—it’s a global movement for inclusion and change.

The World Table Tennis Day is celebrated on 23 April every-year honoring Ivor Montagu, organizer of the first World Table Tennis Championships in 1926 and the founder and first president of the ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation).

Across abilities, ages, gender identities, languages, and all backgrounds, the entire world unites to celebrate the pure joy of table tennis — proving that #TTBelongsToYou and to everyone!

From grassroots gatherings to inclusive tournaments, people everywhere are coming together to play, connect, and break barriers.