‘The same kids who compete at the table tennis table are now competing to plant more trees’
Safashahr, a small city in the mountainous north of Fars province in Iran, faces the same problems as many other parts of the country: a worsening water crisis and increasing environmental degradation.
As drought intensifies and local ecosystems come under pressure, public spaces are becoming drier and more fragile, especially in nearby rural areas.
Two years ago, when I became head of the table tennis association of Khorrambid County, my main task was to build basic sports infrastructure and develop the sport professionally.
At the same time, we decided that the association should not focus solely on training athletes but also on motivating our players and their families to take environmental action in our community.
Since then, we have organized several volunteer activities that link table tennis with local environmental work. These have included “plastic‑free hall” campaigns in our training venues and the construction of small water troughs for wildlife around the city.
Our most recent gathering took place in the Nobekuh area, near the village of Dehbid, where we focused on tree planting. In cooperation with the local Department of Natural Resources, more than 200 residents joined this event, including many of our young table tennis players and their families.
read more: https://globalvoices.org/2026/01/01/the-table-tennis-players-planting-trees-to-fight-drought-in-iran/
