Solomon Islands Table Tennis Federation (SITTF) yesterday joined the world to celebrate the World Table Tennis Day with fun attracting hundreds of spectators at the Honiara City Council ground, Wednesday.
The program started at 8am and finished at 2pm in the afternoon.
The program featured playing table tennis with people with disabilities and the public, introduction of the sport, music performance by expatriates and the relay of health messages.
The World Table Tennis Day coincides with the World Health Day celebration.
The president of the National Olympic Committee of Solomon Islands (NOCSI), Martin Rara gave the key note address before officially opening the day’s event.
“I’m very happy to present here in this street event, celebrating World Table Tennis Day and World Health Day together on behalf of the National Olympic Committee of Solomon Islands (NOCSI).
“National Olympic Committee of Solomon Islands (NOCSI) as the national representative body of the Olympics movement is grateful to be part of such event in promoting sports for all.
“Let’s embrace Sports and Health as our value to prevent the growing trend of non-‐communicable diseases in our communities.
“As such, the co-‐host of World Table Tennis Day and World Health Day signifies the gesture of collaborative effort in promoting healthy lifestyles.
“Sports for all concepts promotes the idea of Inclusiveness, togetherness and oneness.
April 6th is being established by United Nations and International Olympic Committee as a Day for Sports for Development and Peace.
“As we celebrate the World Table Tennis Day and World Health Day, let’s maintain the spirit on the themes of these events as our goals, “Table Tennis for Everyone, Everywhere, POPULAR, UNIVERSAL & INCLUSIVE and Lets fight against diabetes and WIN,” he said.
The day’s event was hosted by the Solomon Islands National Paralympic Committee in collaboration with Solomon Islands Table Tennis Federation, HCC Sports Development Department and Ministry of Health and Medical Services.
This is the first ever hosting of the World Table Tennis Day event in Solomon Islands as well as celebrating the World Health Day 2016.
International Table Tennis Federation believes in this value by promoting Table Tennis as a sport that vehicles positive social change, a healthy worthwhile use of leisure time and an opportunity to bring people together, an excellent tool for social inclusion.
By CARLOS ARUAFU
