The great annual educational gathering of the judo family, based on judo values, is now. On 28th October 2021, millions of judoka across the planet will meet physically and or digitally, to celebrate World Judo Day 2021. This year it is the theme of ‘SOLIDARITY’ which has been chosen and which will guide all the actions that will be carried out.
On 28th October 28 2021, the Judo World celebrates the ability of the judo family to come together around its values and its ability to share them with as many people as possible. We invite you, at your level, whether at the individual level or that of your club or your federation, to think of solidarity by telling yourself that the hand you extend today may be the one you need tomorrow.
Despite the hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the judo family has never been so united to overcome these trials and has proven it in the most beautiful way possible during the recent Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. As if catastrophe weren’t enough, the world has been faced with other destructive plagues; political crises which threw thousands of refugees on the roads and climatic crises which endangered the very nature of life, continued to swarm over our heads. Yet all is not gloomy and there are many reasons to hope and dream.
Celebrating solidarity between peoples at the very heart of our societies, beyond differences, is part of this hope that the judo community is keen to promote.
The involvement of the International Judo Federation and many national federations, as well as continental unions, in projects such as Judo for Peace, Judo for Refugees, Judo for Children, Judo for All and more, illustrates this desire to say and do, so that Jigoro Kano Shihan’s dream of creating a more just society does not remain a utopia.
With the notion of solidarity, it is important to associate those of altruism, generosity and charity. Alone we cannot do much, but together it becomes possible to overthrow mountains.
In 2020, the IJF celebrated WJD around the theme ‘Together we are stronger.’ What better theme to complete this than that of solidarity; a solidarity that we want active and real.