InterviewTaekwondo Humanitarian Foundation outpaces founder's expectations ahead of 10th anniv.

World Taekwondo President and Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation Chairman Choue Chung-won, right, poses with World Baseball Softball Confederation President Riccardo Fraccari, left, and International University Sports Federation President Leonz Eder during the third Hope and Dreams Sports Festival at the Azraq refugee camp in Jordan, April 30. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

AMMAN, Jordan — A shocking image of a drowned Syrian boy, Alan Kurdi, in September 2015 was a driving force for World Taekwondo (WT) President Choue Chung-won to establish Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation (THF) in the following year to help Syrian refugees worldwide.

The foundation has moved forward since then — at a faster pace than Choue expected — leading to his hope of nearly doubling the number of sports in the THF-organized festival to 10 for the foundation’s 10th anniversary next year.

“It’s developing at a faster pace than I expected when I gave a speech at the United Nations,” Choue, also THF chairman, said during an exclusive interview with The Korea Times on the occasion of the third Hope and Dreams Sports Festival in Jordan from April 30 to May 3.

“Accordingly, our goal is to give children and youth opportunities in at least 10 sports by THF’s 10th anniversary, and preparations are getting underway,” he added.

Choue publicly declared a plan to launch the foundation to use taekwondo as a tool to empower Syrian refugees during his U.N. International Day of Peace speech in September 2015.

The top leader of the international taekwondo governing body took the U.N. stage upon invitation of then-U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, shortly after he witnessed the tragic death of Kurdi on the news.

A signature humanitarian initiative of THF, the Hope and Dreams Sports Festival started in 2023 for young Syrians sheltered in the Azraq and Za’atari refugee camps in Jordan. The annual gathering currently hosts six events — taekwondo, baseball5, 3-on-3 basketball, badminton, handball and weightlifting.

“The children and youth there can participate in the sports they are interested in and have a variety of options to choose from,” Choue said as he listed out judo, wrestling, table tennis, boxing and volleyball as potential additional sports that he would like to reach out to for next year's festival.

The THF founder expressed hope to include as many Olympic sports as possible. “The foundation is moving forward quickly, and that if it grows bigger, we may be capable of hosting about 20 sports in the near future,” he said.

Choue underlined taekwondo as an educational tool for refugee students to grow as better global citizens, as he addressed collaborative, new efforts between THF and the International University Sports Federation (FISU).

“Taekwondo is a combat sport, but it also teaches its practitioners about loyalty, respect, self-discipline, confidence, courage, among other values they need to learn over a lifetime,” he said.

“In that regard, I am grateful to FISU President Leonz Eder for joining this year’s Hope and Dreams Sports Festival and expressing FISU’s desire to participate with education programs.”

The programs will center on online learning for language, history, culture and other corresponding academic disciplines aimed at facilitating social inclusion for Syrian refugee students with the rest of the international community.

Choue deemed that online learning may open the door wider for young Syrian refugees to get to know more about in addition to taekwondo.

Asked about taekwondo’s widening role to support war-stricken refugees, he listed out refugee camp projects in Malindza in Eswatini, Kiziba and Mahama in Rwanda, Elbeyli in Turkey, Tijuana and Saltillo in Mexico and Santa Venera in Malta.

He also mentioned the Ukrainian siblings who had been invited to the 2022 World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.

“No one understands the cost of war more deeply than refugee children who have been its victims, making the direction for taekwondo’s humanitarian mission clearer in an increasing number of conflicts and wars,” he said.

Choue said taekwondo is also extending a helping hand to orphans, mainly in Southeast Asia and Central Asia, through the Taekwondo Cares program.

“These orphans may not be as isolated as refugees, but in reality, they often lack opportunities that are enjoyed by other members of the same society,” he said. “And we’re sharing the spirit of taekwondo with these children for them to build hope and move toward a brighter future.”

Choue encouraged more Korean businesses to take part in taekwondo-inspired humanitarian initiatives.

“Contributions are growing significantly from taekwondo equipment manufacturers, and as more companies get involved, it will be wonderful for children around the world to grow with a positive impression of Korea,” he said.