After stopping at the UN for the Ukrainian question, Antonio Tajani presented the 2023 edition of the Ryder Cup scheduled in Rome from 29 September to 1 October at the Italian Consulate General in New York. “It is a very important initiative for my city, to attract tourists and new players,” said the head of Italian diplomacy.
Ryder Cup, New York
The Foreign Minister defined the event as “a driving force in view of Rome’s candidacy for Expo 2030”. According to the deputy prime minister, it is also a bridge to strengthen cooperation between the USA, Italy and the European Union in the framework of transatlantic relations.
Tajani also stressed the importance of defending the values of sport and promoting them among young people. Among the references is also the role of “sports diplomacy”, such as the ping pong diplomacy that paved the way for US-China relations with the visit of US President Richard Nixon to Beijing in 1972.
Don Rea, Vice President of the PGA of America also spoke at the press conference. Rea is one of the biggest organizers of golf competitions, who has praised Italy’s historic hospitality. Table tennis diplomacy was a series of sporting exchanges between Communist China and the United States of America during the 1970s.
In 1971, the US table tennis team was invited to participate in a tournament in China. This event marked the first time a group of American athletes had been allowed to visit China since it was closed to international contacts in 1949.
During the visit, US athletes had the opportunity to meet and play with their Chinese counterparts. These exchanges created an atmosphere of dialogue and friendship between the two countries. Eventually, diplomatic relations between the United States and China normalized.
Ping pong diplomacy was an example of how sport can be used as a tool to overcome political and cultural differences between countries. That race contributed to the improvement of international relations. The Ryder Cup, officially known as The Ryder Cup Matches, is a golf tournament that has been held every two years since 1927 between a selection of US players and one of European players. Usually the competition takes place in autumn, in September or October.
