
2024 World Table Tennis for Health Congress Recordings and Presentations Are Now Available Online!
Three months ago, featured as part of the 2024 World Table Tennis for Health Festival, the 2024 World Table Tennis for Health Congress successfully concluded in Maizières-lès-Metz, France. Held over two days—25 and 26 October—the Congress served as a vibrant platform for health scientists, researchers, and leading institutions from around the globe to share their insights on using table tennis as a tool to enhance well-being. We are thrilled to announce that the video recordings and all presentation slides from the Congress are now available online! Click here to review and dive into the inspiring sessions.
Congress Day 1 Highlights
The Congress began with an inspiring keynote by Philipp Müller-Wirth, Head of the Sports Section at UNESCO, who introduced UNESCO’s "Fit for Life" initiative. This collaborative alliance aims to foster collective action and knowledge-sharing to advance inclusive physical education and activity policies worldwide.
Next, neuroscientist Liz Franz from the University of Otago captivated the audience with her presentation on the benefits of table tennis for active aging, particularly its positive effects on brain and cognitive health.
This was followed by a session dedicated to table tennis and Parkinson’s disease, where experts like physiotherapy specialist Denis Obert, Daniel Rodriguez (CEO of Sense4Care), and Dr. Yasunobu Hoshino from Juntendo University shared practical guidelines, innovative uses of wearable devices, and insights into table tennis as a therapeutic tool.
Congress Day 2 Highlights
The second day kicked off with Juana Willemsun and Fiona Bull from the World Health Organization, highlighting the urgency of promoting physical activity for older adults.
Following it, the NeuroPong™ Handbook, a collaboration between the ITTF Foundation and Table Tennis Connections, was launched. It is a handbook that offers scientific insights and practical advice on how table tennis can improve the quality of life for individuals with conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s, and Dementia. Additionally, Lucie Coulon from the French Federation of Table Tennis introduced the “Guide Ping Santé,” a practical resource for integrating table tennis into activities for the elderly and addressing aging-related issues.
In the afternoon, the focus turned to table tennis and Alzheimer’s disease. Hélène Clari and Kevin Rabiant from France Alzheimer presented case studies, practical recommendations, and essential strategies for supporting caregivers through table tennis-based activities. This was followed by a session on the Erasmus+ Project, SWAN (Spin for Well-being: Active lifestyles through therapeutic table tennis for individuals with neurodegenerative diseases). Presented by Konstantinos Siachos and Christos Gkoumas, this initiative highlighted the legacy of partnerships fostered through the World Table Tennis for Health Festival.
Lastly, the ITTF Foundation team concluded the event by sharing first-hand experiences from our new Dream Building Fund project, “TT Against Alzheimer’s: The Art of Inclusion” in Bulgaria, which aims to integrate table tennis exercises into daily programmes at local daycare centers and nursing homes for people with Alzheimer’s.
Get Inspired Now!
Visit our Get Inspired page or click the links below to explore these remarkable sessions and discover how table tennis can transform lives.