Pully, Switzerland (Oct 21, 2024) – The Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation (THF) Board of Trustees gathered in Lausanne for its last meeting of the year 2024, on the occasion of the IF Forum.
The meeting took place at the headquarters of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), an avid partner of the THF missions. World Taekwondo President and THF Chairman, Dr. Chungwon Choue, expressed his gratitude to the WBSC President, Mr. Riccardo Fraccari, for WBSC’s passionate support of the program, including its participation in two editions of the Hope and Dreams Sports Festival in Jordan through Baseball5.
At the meeting, the Chairman reported the amazing projects and results achieved in 2024. Besides the Hope and Dreams Sports Festival, the Chairman highlighted the achievements of the refugee athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. In particular, Yahya Al Ghotany was the first refugee from the Azraq camp to participate in the Olympic Games and Zakia Khudadadi, who is part of the Terrains d’Avenir program jointly promoted by the Olympic Refuge Foundation, the city of Paris, and the THF, delivered the first-ever medal for the Paralympic Refugee Team at the Paralympic Games.
Dr. Choue said: “We are able to achieve all these results because of the unity in the Taekwondo family, the leadership of the THF Board, and having partners who believe in the cause”.
The Board also reaffirmed the THF and WT’s commitment to inclusion and support from WT Solidarity Funds to the Solidarity Center’s Open, by renewing eligible refugee athletes’ participation for free, mainly from Africa. The Chairman also thanked Mr. Bian Zhiliang, founder of the Taishan Sports Industry Group, for the generous donation of a new artificial turf. In line with sustainability efforts, the refugee children and youth from Za’atari Camp will benefit from having the old artificial turf from the Azraq camp.
Entering a new Olympic cycle until the LA 28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Board approved the budgets and new projects for 2025. These include THF programs in the refugee camps in Jordan, Rwanda, Eswatini, and Turkiye. In addition, the THF will provide opportunities for outstanding refugees to participate in major championships, such as the World Taekwondo Cadet Championships, in Fujairah, UAE, in May 2025.
The Board also renewed the term of THF Trustee Angelo Cito, World Taekwondo Council Member and President of THF Italia for another 3-year term, in recognition of his impressive work to support refugee athletes developing humanitarian activities. The Board also elected Mr. HOU Kun (Justin), a member of the IOC Culture and Heritage Commission, as the new member for his outstanding contributions to the THF over the years.
The Board concluded its meeting with a commitment to elevating the quality of THF activities in 2025. In conclusion, the Chairman shared World Taekwondo’s new motto for 2025: ‘Harmony Brings Glory’. He expressed his wish to create even more glory for the refugees supported by the THF, through the harmony and passion of the Taekwondo community and partners.
