The annual event, now in its fourth year and takes place on the birthday of the sport's founder Jigoro Kano - October 28, was marked worldwide including in Albania, Argentina, Belize, Botswana, Burundi, Great Britain, Canada, Mexico, Pakistan, Russia, Sweden and Venezuela.

Next Summer Olympic Games host nation Brazil put on a number of events, with 2013 under 57 kilogram world champion Rafaela Silva and world number four Victor Penalber staging a master class for children, including for visually impaired judoka.

Also in Brazil, Portugal's European bronze medallist and Olympian Pedro Dias celebrated World Judo Day at his club in Maringá by hosting a competition for more than 100 children aged between 4 and 15 years old.

Brazil put on many World Judo Day activities for children ©IJF


"This was about much more than competing for the children," Dias said of the event, which was sponsored by the Nogueira brothers, Antônio Rodrigo and Antônio Rogério, of Ultimate Fighting Championship fame - both are judo black belts.

"It was a big celebration for all judo lovers and their families who support their passion.

"I would like to thank the IJF (International Judo Federation) for introducing this annual initiative several years ago because the sport deserves it."

In Russia, host nation of this year's World Championships, members of the national team, including London 2012 Olympic champions Tagir Khaybulaev and Mansur Isaev, staged a judo master class.

"I would like to congratulate all judo fans around the world and in Russia," Khaybulaev said.

"I hope World Judo Day continues to be celebrated on a bigger scale every year and I wish all young judoka success, new victories, bright emotions and may they always listen to their coaches."

The Botswana Judo Federation held a tribute to its late Sensei Itsubo Keisuke on World Judo Day ©IJF


The Botswana Judo Federation held a tribute to its late Sensei Itsubo Keisuke, who died aged 24 in a freak accident while climbing Table Mountain in Cape Town last month.

Under his watch, the nation saw a complete turnaround of its athletes, with some bringing home medals from major competitions.

"Honouring Sensei Itsubo on this particular day of World Judo Day is symbolic of the respect and value we have for him," Estony van Heerden-Hattingh, President of the Botswana Judo Federation, said.

"This is linked to the words of our President of International Judo Federation Marius Vizer, who in his World Judo Day message said, 'Being convinced that the judo principles - courtesy, courage, sincerity, honour, modesty, respect, self-control, friendship - are incontestable values not only in our sport, but for the entire society, I consider that these values must be spread within our community as well as a message to society, because this is the way to transfer the values of our sport in order to continuously educate the new generations and to have a real impact on all sectors of civil society.'

"Sensei Itsubo had a dream that by 2020, Botswana judo will be represented at the Olympic Games, we will honour his dream and work hard to achieve it."

Elsewhere, the Albanian Judo Federation supported the occasion by organising activities for young children, Judo Quebec in Canada held an international exchange between young judoka over multiple continents, French Polynesia held a special training session for athletes aged between four and 60 years old, Guatemala staged a military judo tournament and Romania hosted celebrations across the country.

The theme for World Judo Day 2015 will be unity.

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