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| Children at the Azraq refugee camp show off their medals and cheer after a taekwondo contest in Jordan on Aug. 15. A coach from the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation has been teaching them taekwondo since April as part of the organization's outreach program. / Courtesy the World Taekwondo Federation |
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For taekwondo fans, one of the highlights of the Rio Olympics was the rise of heroes and heroines from Africa and the Middle East.
Cheick Sallah Cisse of Ivory Coast earned his nation's first-ever Olympic gold medal competing in the men's 80 kg division, while Ahmad Abughaush did so for his country, Jordan, after defeating a Russian opponent in the men's 68 kg final.
Meanwhile, Kimia Alizadeh Zenoorin became the first Iranian woman to win an Olympic medal after claiming a bronze in the women's 57 kg category.
"For many, especially those who are living under less fortunate conditions, they became the living symbols of hope," World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) President Choue Chung-won said. "Their achievements showed that taekwondo can play a larger role for the world."
In April, the WTF established the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation (THF) in Lausanne, Switzerland. Its primary mission is to empower refugees worldwide through taekwondo education.
According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, about 65.3 million people have been forced from their homes worldwide. Among them are nearly 21.3 million refugees, over half of whom are under the age of 18.
The THF believes taekwondo education is one of the most effective ways to improve the lives and prospects of refugees.
First and foremost, a THF official noted, taekwondo requires virtually no equipment — not even a ball or a large space — to practice. It is also one of the most popular combat sports, with about 80 million practitioners worldwide.
In addition to improving health, taekwondo teaches manners, perseverance and self-control — all important qualities for success in any area.
Ahead of the official launch of the organization, the THF has deployed taekwondo educators to Jordan for the people living in refugee camps and for the quake-hit areas of Nepal.
The THF plans to open taekwondo academies and education centers in Africa and Latin America in 2016 and 2017, respectively.
The THF will focus on the construction of the education centers, with the belief that offering long-term programs is better than temporary relief.
In 2009, the WTF established the World Taekwondo Peace Corps to teach taekwondo and Olympic values in over 100 developing countries. The THF is the expansion of the governing body's humanitarian activities.
"The growing number of refugees has become a major global issue. The U.N. estimates that if all refugees and displaced persons were combined into a single nation, it would be the world's 24th-largest," Choue said. "The THF needs your help to help them."
