Shaking hands and even snapping
a photo with Pope Francis at the
World UnPlugNPlay Festival in
Vatican City might seem outside
the realm of reality. However, this
bucket list experience is actually
available to anyone who purchases
a once-in-a-lifetime package
unveiled today on experiences
marketplace IfOnly.
Killerspin, the world's only luxury
table tennis experience brand,
has partnered with IfOnly, the
leader in one-of-a-kind
experiences that benefit charitable causes, to create an exclusive package offering the opportunity to
meet Pope Francis at the Vatican as part of the World UnPlugNPlay Festival August 29-31st, a
celebration to encourage people to play table tennis with loved ones and unplug from electronic
devices for 15 minutes a day.
In addition to a meeting with His Holiness, the IfOnly/Killerspin Package includes table tennis
tournaments, several exclusive gatherings including the Connect21 Ping Pong cocktail reception,
gala dinner and panel with thought leaders discussing "digitization and humanity." In addition, the
excursion includes private VIP tours of the Vatican, Sistine Chapel and Palazzo Colonna, a two-night
stay at a luxurious Sardinian resort and a host of limited edition memorabilia and products from Killerspin.
About World UnPlugNPlay Day
UnPlugNPlay Day on August 29, 2016 was created by Killerspin in partnership with the Italian Table
Tennis Federation to encourage family and friends to put away their computers and mobile phones -
unplug in order to have fun, and connect with those they love and who need their love. The event
will launch in Vatican City attended by the Pope, along with a series of other grassroots events in
major cities around the world.
According to Killerspin CEO Robert Blackwell Jr., the idea behind UnPlugNPlay grew out of a
conversation he had with Pope Francis earlier this year about the growing alienation of humanity
caused by an increasingly digitized society. As he explains, "The Pope and I spoke about how
technology is changing the way we communicate, to the detriment of our relationships with
others and our health. For at least this one day, we hope people will put away their devices in order to
have fun, and connect with those they love."
IfOnly Vatican Package Details
Two packages are offered exclusively on IfOnly.com and start at $15,000. The "Vice-Chairman
Package" for two includes a tour of the Sistine Chapel, tickets to the Connect21 Ping Pong
Cocktail Reception and Gala Dinner, and panel discussion with thought leaders. The "Chairman"
package can be purchased for one or two persons, starting at $25,000, and includes a meet
and greet with Pope Francis, tickets to the Connect21 Ping Pong Cocktail Reception, Gala Dinner
and panel discussion, a three-day, two-night stay at a world-class Sardinian resort where the
UnPlugNPlay Table Tennis Championship will be held, as well as the Revolution SVR Bianco
table, one of only 37 replicas of the Killerspin Table Tennis Table gifted to the Pope.
In keeping with Pope Francis' lifelong dedication to public welfare, this experience will benefit
Best Buddies, a nonprofit dedicated to providing opportunities for people with intellectual
and developmental disabilities.
About IfOnly
From unique everyday offerings with local experts to once-in-a-lifetime connections with
lauded luminaries, IfOnly provides access to a curated selection of extraordinary experiences
that benefit worthy causes around the world. IfOnly was founded in 2012 by serial entrepreneur
Trevor Traina and is funded by Khosla Ventures, Founders Fund, AMEX Ventures, Triple Point
Capital, and others.
