Umdi table tennis culture: Sport connects people in Josefstadt!

Umdi table tennis culture: Sport connects people in Josefstadt!

The “Umdi Table Tennis Culture” initiative in Vienna impressively builds a bridge between sport and culture by promoting encounters through table tennis in public parks. The association, founded in 2023 by Sophia Widman and Paul Spindler, aims to bring people from different backgrounds together. In just a short time, the movement has established itself and now has over 30 active members and more than 100 regular participants on the open match days.

The playing zones are free and accessible to everyone - in Josefstadt and Ottakring there is public table tennis, and the current venues such as Yppenplatz, Tigerpark and the “Garage Grande” at Deinhardsteingasse 12 are a daily venue for sporting encounters. Particularly noteworthy are the regular open game days that take place every Wednesday under the title “Schnittwoch” and are intended for everyone, regardless of ability, origin or gender.

Inviting inclusive offer

What makes the event unique? Every Monday there are special game days just for Flinta people - i.e. for women, lesbians, intersex, non-binary, trans and agender people. This shows how important inclusion in sport is, a topic that is currently being discussed not only in Vienna, but also in other parts of the German-speaking area, such as at an event in the ARAG Centercourt in Düsseldorf. Here, children with and without disabilities came together to take part in joint training sessions under the guidance of experienced trainers. DTTB students and DBS trainers were present and emphasized that inclusion means normality, as tischtennis.de reports.

The Dortmund event was described as a win-win situation to promote exchange and collaboration between the different groups and to make the sport idea of ​​table tennis accessible to everyone. The new co-national coach in German para table tennis, Ela Madejska, not only brings a breath of fresh air with her experience, 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 sport can be seen in the inclusion week, which recently took place in Moabit. Inclusive training programs in various sports were offered here to draw attention to the barrier-free sports facilities. The TSM Football Academy and numerous sports clubs organized activities such as basketball training with the BC Lions and athletics training with ASV Berlin to stimulate discussion about the current barrier-free accessibility situation. This is particularly important because many sports facilities, such as those in the Poststadion, do not yet meet accessibility requirements, as kiezsportlotsin.de shows.

Such initiatives and events are valuable steps towards a more inclusive sports culture. Whether in Vienna or elsewhere, the power of sport to bring people together and create a feeling of community remains a central mission of the “Umdi Tischtenniskultur” association and many other projects. It becomes clear here: the bridge between sport and culture is not only built, but also actively filled with encounters and shared experiences.