ITTF Centenary Celebrated at 16th Macau Special Olympics Inclusive Table Tennis Fun Day

The ITTF's centenary year found a fitting stage at Galaxy Macau's East Square on March 29, where nearly 1,000 participants gathered for the 16th annual "GEG Macau Special Olympics Inclusive Table Tennis Fun Day," timed for the eve of the ITTF Men's & Women's World Cup Macao 2026 at the Galaxy Arena.

The one-day event, co-hosted by Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG) and the Macau Special Olympics (MSO), drew Special Olympics athletes with intellectual disabilities alongside volunteers, local officials, teachers, students, and ITTF representatives for a full programme of simplified gameplay sessions, skill challenges, adapted coaching clinics, and exhibition matches pairing Special Olympics athletes with visiting professionals from the World Cup field.

ITTF Event Director Bart Vermoesen, speaking at the opening ceremony, put the occasion in sharp relief: "It is a privilege to be here celebrating our centenary year alongside GEG and MSO. Sixteen editions of this event is a testament to their real, sustained commitment to inclusion. Table tennis is one of the most accessible sports in the world. Over 100 years, we have grown into a global family, and events like this remind us exactly what that means. Table tennis for all, for life."

MSO National Director Hetzer Siu Yu Hong addressed the opening ceremony and highlighted sport's role in fostering equality and community cohesion, while GEG Director of Corporate Affairs Buddy Lam Chi Seng underlined the company's long-term commitment to integrating sport with community initiatives. Senior representatives from the Education and Youth Development Bureau were also present on the day.

This year's edition introduced a notable first: the Fun Day extended its reach into local schools in the weeks beforehand. Through GEG's Inclusive Creative Arts Projects for "Empathy in Action," GEG and MSO launched the "DIY Table Tennis Ball Night Light Inclusive Workshop" across several Macau schools, engaging nearly 80 teachers, students, and individuals with special needs. Participants crafted ping pong ball night lamps themed around the ITTF centenary, then submitted their work to an online public vote; the winning entries were showcased and formally recognised on the day itself.

The 2026 edition marks 16 consecutive years of collaboration between GEG and MSO, a partnership that began in 2011. GEG stated it will "continue to leverage its resources to actively organize and support a diverse range of sporting activities, working with partners across different sectors to promote an inclusive culture in the community."

Young athletes paused between sessions to pose with Galaxy Macau's mascot Wavey the Peacock during the opening ceremony, an image that captured the event's tone precisely: international sport's biggest centenary milestone, brought to life on a table tennis table in Cotai, one day before the world's best players arrived to compete.