It is clear that today’s world is fragile; anger and, at times, hatred too often guide our steps and our actions. Yet rather than giving up, the judo family continues to believe that through education and openness towards others, it is possible to tear down the walls of misunderstanding.
In 2025, the theme of World Judo Day was therefore Peace, a subject close to every judoka’s heart. On this occasion, IJF President Mr Marius Vizer declared, “I would like to reaffirm our shared belief that judo can be a true bridge, a space for connection, empathy, dialogue and unity in diversity, bringing peace when it is most needed. Amid all the challenges, we hear the call for peace.
For many years, Judo for Peace has been active in war zones and post-conflict regions, showing that respect and friendship can overcome fear and hatred. Judo teaches us to fall and rise again, to face challenges with courage and to respect our opponents. By embracing judo’s values, we all become ambassadors of peace and harmony, within society and with nature itself.”
On 28th October, countless ambassadors of peace gathered around the world and they continue to do so every day, by welcoming all generations, without discrimination, onto the tatami across the five continents. As we continue to receive reports and contributions from every part of the globe, nearly 70 countries have already taken part in World Judo Day in one way or another.
From Argentina to Zambia, via Romania, France, Australia and the Ivory Coast, to name a few, thousands of judoka have stood together to declare that the only thing truly worth fighting for is peace and mutual understanding.
Peace is not merely the absence of war; it is a state of balance, respect and harmony among individuals and nations, built upon mutual understanding, justice and kindness. It begins within each of us, through self-control, empathy and the rejection of hatred. In this sense, judo is a genuine school of peace.
Through the values of respect, courage, mutual aid and discipline, it teaches us to transform strength into mastery, confrontation into dialogue and rivalry into self-improvement. On the tatami, we learn to fall and rise again, to face others without destroying them, to grow together, lessons that extend far beyond sport, nurturing peace among all human beings.