Solidarity for All

(Source: FIE)

Around the globe, it was a day to celebrate the sport of fencing. World Fencing Day, on Saturday, September 9, featured a theme of Solidarity and brought Olympians together with those holding a sword for the first time, fencing clubs took to the streets to demonstrate dueling for wide-eyed children, and aspiring young fencers shared hopes and dreams with masters of the piste. The Solidarity theme gives a common purpose to everyone celebrating fencing, and strives to make it available to anyone, anywhere.

Reports have been streaming in to the International Fencing Federation (FIE) of World Fencing Day activities taking place in the farthest corners of the planet. Here are just a few samples of what’s been happening:

• In Nepal, the national fencing federation put-on a fencing demonstration for eager kids and teens in a popular Kathmandu shopping mall

• In Moscow, World Fencing Day was included as part of the annual Day of the City celebration, with many young fencers showing their skills

• In New Zealand, the Auckland Swords Club organised a fencing match on the Sky City tower, 192 metres above the city—possibly a new world record

• At the Swiss Cadet National Championships, Swiss fencing and the Fencing Club of Lausanne opened their doors and event to the public and offered support of fencing equipment to Honduras

• Several hundred Chinese children learned fencing for the first time on a football field

• Olympians shared experiences and autographs with eager first-time fencers in Budapest

• World medallists and Olympic fencers put on a show of dueling on the beaches of California

• Olympic Swiss fencers and World Fencing Day ambassadors Max Heinzer and Benjamin Steffen offered fencing introductions and signed autographs

• In Cornwall, Great Britain, a dueling scene occurred for the public at historic shipping docks

• National fencing federations are sending photos, videos, and stories of World Fencing Day to the FIE, which are being posted on our Facebook page as they arrive

Much more may be seen on FIE social media, including videos, photographs, and stories. World Fencing Day has produced a reach of more than one million people via its hashtag of #FencingDay, with more than related 2500 posts on Instagram. Numerous countries provided information to the FIE about their activities, just as of this weekend:

Angola • Azerbaijan • Belgium • Canada • China • Colombia • Cyprus • France • Germany • Great Britain • Honduras • Hungary • India • Italy • Libya • Nepal • Nicaragua • Iraq • Kyrgyzstan • New Zealand • Puerto Rico • Russia • Rwanda • Switzerland • Turkey • Uganda • Venezuela • USA
 
The FIE congratulates all federations, clubs, and individuals for promoting fencing with their activities organized in their countries. Fencing is a sport for all ages and people, and on this first World Fencing Day, it is exhilarating to see children fencing with their parents, juniors bouting with seniors, and people globally sharing their experiences.
 
World Fencing Day takes place annually on the second Saturday of September. Please find more about this event on FIE social media:

#FencingDay
#AllForFencing