The inaugural World Alzheimer’s Championships and the latest edition of the World Parkinson’s Championships will be part of the first ever World Table Tennis for Health Festival.

The WTT4H Festival for short, it is due to take place from November 1-5 on the Mediterranean island of Crete – and registration is now open.

Athletes interested in participating can sign up here before October 1. Anybody can register for the Championships, with no need to be nominated by any organisation.

The ITTF Foundation particularly encourages females and people from all continents to attend and participate to send a message of encouragement to all those having cognitive disorders and prove how the practice of table tennis can improve the health of everyone. The World Table Tennis for Health Congress is also part of the proceedings.

Last held in Berlin in 2021, the World Parkinson’s Table Tennis Championships provide a high-level competition for athletes with the condition. Medical professionals have shown how the regular practice of table tennis helps combat some of the long-term effects of the disease.

In Berlin, 136 participants from 24 countries competed in a total of 431 matches. The enthusiasm from the 2021 event helped create the inaugural World Table Tennis For Health Festival, which expands beyond the Parkinson’s championships to include other neurodegenerative diseases, which regular table tennis activity can improve.

The World Alzheimer’s Championship aims to build off a growing community of table tennis players who are using the sport as part of treatment plans. 

Hosted by the Hellenic Table Tennis Federation, the WTT4H Festival will bring players, officials, delegates and other stakeholders to Crete for competition and the first-ever World Table Tennis for Health Conference. The WTT4H Festival will promote the positive benefits of playing table tennis on one’s health in general, not only for people with the mentioned conditions, but also for sickness prevention and staying active in daily life.