Umdi table tennis culture: Sport connects people in Josefstadt!

Umdi table tennis culture: Sport connects people in Josefstadt!

The "Umdi table tennis culture" initiative impressively beats the bridge between sport and culture in Vienna by promoting encounters through table tennis in public parks. The association, founded in 2023 by Sophia Widman and Paul Spindler, has set itself the goal of bringing people together with different backgrounds. In a short time, the movement has established itself and now has over 30 active members and more than 100 regular participants on the open game days.

The game zones are free and accessible to everyone - in Josefstadt and Ottakring you can wait with public table tennis, and the current venues such as Yppenplatz, Tigerpark and the "Garage Grande" in Deinhardsteingasse 12 are the place of sporting encounter every day. Particularly noteworthy are the regular open game days, which take place every Wednesday under the title "Cutting Wednesday" and which are intended for everyone, regardless of ability, origin or gender.

inviting including offer

What makes the event unique? Every Monday there are special game days only for flinta people-i.e. for women, lesbians, intersex, non-binaries, trans- and agenders. This shows how important inclusion is in sports, a topic that is currently being discussed not only in Vienna, but also in other parts of the German-speaking area as at an event in the Arag CenterCourt in Düsseldorf. Here children came together with and without a handicap to take part in joint training sessions under the instructions of experienced trainers. DTTB students of the DBS were present and emphasized that inclusion means normality, as [https://www.tischtennis.de/news/Inlkion-s-normalitaet-gemumer-grahrgang-im-dtz.html) reported.

The Dortmund event was described as a win-win situation in order to promote the exchange and cooperation between the different groups and to make the sports idea of ​​table tennis accessible to everyone. With her experience, the new co-national coach in the German para table tennis, Ela Madejska, not only brings a breath of fresh air, but also the understanding that table tennis is a sport for everyone-regardless of disability.

public mobilization for accessibility

Another important aspect of inclusion in sports is shown in the inclusion week, which was last held in Moabit. Here, including training programs, offered in various sports to draw attention to the barrier -free sports facilities. The TSM Football Academy and numerous sports clubs organized activities such as basketball training with BC Lions and athletics training with ASV Berlin to get a discussion about the current situation of barrier -free accessibility. This is particularly important, since many sports facilities, as those in the Poststadion, do not yet meet the requirements for accessibility, as [kiezsportlotsin.de] (https://kiezsportlotsin.de/ Inclusion Woche-Sportlich- Inclusive-Oktober-2022-in-moabit/).

Such initiatives and events are valuable steps towards a more inclusive sports culture. Whether in Vienna or elsewhere, bringing people together and creating a feeling of the community remains a central mission of the "Umbi Table Tennis Culture" association and many other projects. Here it becomes clear that the bridge between sport and culture is not only built, but also actively filled with encounters and joint experiences.