“Terrains d’Avenir”

The Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation (THF) in collaboration with the French Taekwondo Federation (FFTDA) today announced its sport for protection program will partner with the “Terrains d’Avenir” initiative to support young refugees in France through Taekwondo.

The program was presented by THF Chairman Chungwon Choue to the French Sports Minister Roxana Maracineanu and representative of the Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF) during a THF training session in Gentilly, France.

The program is designed to empower girls through Taekwondo and promote gender equity, child protection and social inclusion. Participants in the program will learn self-defence as well as discipline, understanding and respect through a mixture of Poomsae and Kyorugi techniques. They will also learn Taekwondo and Olympic values and improve their French with the aim of becoming global citizens. Furthermore, the program will raise awareness around the issues of child safeguarding and women’s rights.

The program will be implemented and managed by six refugees and displaced persons living in the Île-de-France region undertaking coaching, communications, data reporting and project coordination. The THF strongly believes that refugees and displaced persons are the best qualified persons to encourage other refugees to practise Taekwondo and to successfully implement the program.

“The THF is very proud to be involved in ‘Terrains d’Avenir’ and to expand the support we currently provide refugees and displaced persons around the world,” said Choue. “It was my pleasure to present to the French Sports Minister and the ORF how we will implement Taekwondo activities as part of this wonderful project.”

Choue added that the THF would be the perfect partner for Terrains d’Avenir.

“We have seen throughout our work that Taekwondo is the ideal tool to empower refugees, promote social inclusion and instil skills which will serve them for years to come,” he said.

Terrains d’Avenir (”Land of the Future’’) is co-financed by the Olympic Refugee Foundation (ORF) and the French Sports Ministry. The THF is one of a six partners which is responsible for organising and implementing programs which promote inclusion and help create a sense of belonging among refugees and their host communities.

The city of Paris, the French Olympic Committee (CNOSF), the Paris 2024 Organising Committee and UNHCR are also supporting this initiative. More than 12,000 people will benefit directly or indirectly from the programs which run through to Paris 2024. It is open to any displaced young person in the region with a particular focus on people between the ages of 10 and 24.