Syrian athletes from the Azraq refugee camp arrive in Amman, Jordan, May 3, for the third edition of the Hope and Dreams Sports Festival. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

AMMAN, Jordan — Othman Al-Ayoub, 17, who lives at the Azraq refugee camp in northern Jordan and trains in taekwondo there, said he could not sleep a wink ahead of the special event he has been waiting for since February last year.

It is the third annual edition of the World Taekwondo (WT) and Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation's (THF) Hope and Dreams Sports Festival, which took place between May 1 and 3 at the Azraq and Za'atari refugee camps and central Amman, Jordan.

For Al-Ayoub and his friends, who are sheltered in the enclosed area designated by the U.N. Refugee Agency, the closing event of the three-day festival is "the best and most beautiful time of the year." They get a once-in-a-year chance to leave the refugee camp and interact with others through sports.

A Syrian taekwondo athlete holds a flower during the third edition of the Hope and Dreams Sports Festival in Amman, Jordan, May 3. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Ali Al-Mutlaq, 15, and his brother Muhammad, 14, were also on cloud nine to join the festival.

The two brothers and their friends danced and clapped along to rhythmic music on the bus during the early-morning two-hour ride from the Azraq refugee camp to central Amman. At around 8:40 a.m., as a line of buses filled with hundreds of excited children entered a sports stadium complex in the capital, children waved out the windows and cheered. For some of them who were born inside the camp, it was their very first time to ever venture outside its fences.

Over 600 young Syrian refugee athletes from the Azraq and Za'atari refugee camps, which each house 40,000 and 80,000 Syrian refugees fleeing from atrocities of their country's civil war, came together to compete in four sports — taekwondo, baseball, badminton and basketball.

Syrian taekwondo athletes from the Azraq refugee camp cheer on their peers during the third edition of the Hope and Dreams Sports Festival in Amman, Jordan, May 3. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

The humanitarian sports initiative, which kicked off in 2022 as a single-sport event featuring only taekwondo, was joined this year by double the number of participants and sports from last year to share a message of peace.

For the taekwondo tournament, some 350 trainees from taekwondo academies in the Za'atari and Azraq camps joined the event.

The most-spotlighted athlete among the participants was 20-year-old Yahya Al Ghotany from the Azraq camp. He was selected a day earlier as one of the 36 refugee athletes to compete at the Paris Olympics in July, an honor which is the earnest dream of all his peers in the camp.

Besides Al Ghotany, several other athletes of the same age gave their best performances in the games, while also being committed to guiding and coaching younger athletes throughout the event.

A Syrian refugee and athlete from the Za'atari camp, left, helps a younger competitor put on protective gear for the taekwondo tournament during the third edition of the Hope and Dreams Sports Festival in Amman, Jordan, May 3. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

"These are children who have seen the atrocities of war in their homeland from such a young age. They met taekwondo when their bodies and souls were devastated," said Kim Moon-soo, the taekwondo grand master at the Za'atari refugee camp who has been teaching the sport since 2013.

When Kim first met them about a decade ago, they could barely sustain physical activity for more than 15 minutes due to the dusty conditions in the refugee camp affecting their breathing, he said. Taekwondo improved their physical and psychological well-being after the trauma of the civil war and in some cases provided them with financial independence and better job opportunities, as many have become taekwondo coaches in Jordan and abroad.

The festival was a chance to get closer to their dreams as athletes despite facing adversity.

Mohamad Najm, a 14-year-old blue belt holder, lost his father, his home and his right arm in the war in 2011. He fell in love with the martial art's signature flying jump kicks and started learning taekwondo last year.

Mohamad Najm, 14, a Syrian taekwondo athlete who lost his right arm during the civil war in 2011, participates in the Hope and Dreams Sports Festival in Amman, Jordan, May 3. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Despite the loss of his arm, he trains with and competes against able-bodied athletes and earned the second consecutive gold medal in the competitions.

"(After practicing taekwondo) I earned confidence. I trust in myself that I can become strong and beat anybody. My dream is to continue practicing and become a world-class athlete who goes to the Paralympics," he said.

Many believe taekwondo can become a bridge for refugee children to a bigger world outside the camp.

Syrian taekwondo athletes shake hands after sparring in the annual Hope and Dreams Sports Festival in Amman, Jordan, May 3. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

"As they practice taekwondo, they realize their hopes and dreams, which is something they have never experienced before. They know now there is more to this world outside the refugee camp and they feel connected to it. They have something to look forward to every day," said Lee Mi-rye, a volunteer at Korea Refugee Project (KRP), who has been caring for refugee children since 2017.

The closing ceremony was attended by WT and THF President Choue Chung-won, Prince Rashid bin El Hassan who chairs the Jordan Taekwondo Federation, World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) President Riccardo Fraccari, Badminton World Federation (BWF) Vice-President Jassem Kanso, as well as representatives from the Jordanian sports authorities.

World Taekwondo and Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation President Choue Chung-won, center, waves at Syrian refugee athletes during the Hope and Dreams Sports Festival in Amman, Jordan, May 3, while Jordan Taekwondo Federation President Prince Rashid bin El Hassan, left, and Korean Ambassador to Jordan Kim Dong-ki, right, applaud. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

"Today, we saw the passion and determination of the children and youth who fought hard for every point. You, the athletes, have taught us how valuable every moment in life is to us. Thank you for showing us this meaningful part of life," said Choue Chung-won, president of the WT and THF.

Choue added on Jordan's hospitality toward the refugees, "This is a country that holds sports at the heart of the nation. This is also a country that offers hopes and dreams to tens of thousands of refugees and displaced persons."

As of early 2024, Jordan hosts some 710,000 refugees of different nationalities registered with UNHCR, 50 percent of whom are children. They come predominantly from neighboring Syria, as well as Iraq, Yemen, Sudan and Somalia.

In response, Prince Rashid bin El Hassan praised taekwondo's commitment to humanitarian activities, in particular with the current geopolitical situation in the region.

After the closing ceremony, the THF signed a memorandum of understanding with KRP, which established the taekwondo academy at the Za'tari refugee camp in 2013 and has been operating it ever since.

Syrian refugee athletes warm up before participating in the taekwondo tournament during the annual Hope and Dreams Sports Festival in Amman, Jordan, May 3. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

The two parties agreed to develop taekwondo programs at the Za'atari refugee camp to promote the well-being, social inclusion and personal development of refugees through sports. Under the agreement, THF will provide human resources, necessary equipment, black belt certification and talent development while KRP will arrange the training facilities to conduct taekwondo classes and relevant institutional relations.

The humanitarian sports initiative seeks to expand further next year, according to Choue.

"Next year, we expect table tennis, judo, wrestling, handball and volleyball to additionally join the festival. Also, medical services from Korea will attend the event together for the refugee children's health and hygiene," he said.

Young Syrian refugee taekwondo athletes pose while waiting in line to be awarded medals during the Hope and Dreams Sports Festival in Amman, Jordan, May 3. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Until then, young participants keep their fingers crossed for another extraordinary sports outing.

"This festival means a lot because it culminates the efforts of the children and all the players inside the camp. It is a space of hope for the future for us," Al-Ayoub said.

"I certainly hope to participate in next year with all my heart, and I hope that the interest and support will be greater from the supporting and generous bodies to achieve my dreams and the dreams of my colleagues … to reach continental and international competitions."