28th October is World Judo Day. It is not by chance that it coincides with the date of birth of Jigoro Kano, founder of our sport and whose words and acts are as mature in their elaboration as they are modern in their validity. If the objective was to educate, progress and improve through a healthy mind wrapped in a robust body, that is, a noble and useful purpose. We cannot sidestep our destiny when our value system is in danger. The pandemic that sweeps the planet and destroys families indiscriminately has called into question a common overall ideal that we must uphold if we do not want to succumb. A community is the sum of many things, a conglomerate of ideals, principles and, above all, people. They are individuals who propose and accept to stay together, build, advance, evolve, live and die, always together. It is the epilogue to the greatness of humankind because they understand that the group will always be more powerful than the person.
"Stronger together" is a pledge, an epitaph above the graves of those who left us, so that it does not happen again. And if it happens anyway, it is an oath that we will learn, do better and be more effective next time.
It is true that cautious gestures are necessary to avoid infections. It is true that confinement and isolation are remedies in the absence of a vaccine, but together we are always better. Together, even in the solitude of our shared exiles, we are stronger. Technology is not a bland input and contributes greatly in the fight against abandonment and depression. Then, when everything has passed, the contact remains. Life goes on.
For all this, because during confinement we had to keep hold of our principles and because now we must rebuild our lives, we will do better if we stay together; we will be stronger.
There are widely used phrases, ‘Union is strength’ is one of them. However, in some contexts it may not have been demonstrated. It is not a trivial thing, it is a fait accompli, especially in the field of judo; a martial art and Olympic sport whose values are the cornerstone of our coexistence and the wall that protects our civilisation. We know it, we have demonstrated it across 3 different centuries. You know it too. Therefore, because we need our neighbour, we celebrate this day all together. Together we are stronger.