Pope Receives Taekwondo Honor

There are moments when you are utterly thrilled: Rejoicing at a result, at the winning of a medal or at some other historic success that will remain forever in your memory. This was a moment like that.

On May 10, 2017, World Taekwondo (WT) President Chungwon Choue, accompanied by President of the Italian Taekwondo Federation Angelo Cito, was received by Pope Francis in the Saint Peter’s Square in Vatican City. With them were Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the Holy See Jeong Jong-hyu and Honorary President of the Italian Taekwondo Federation Park Young-gil.

After a fraternal greeting, Choue awarded the Pope an honorary 10th dan black belt - the highest rank in Taekwondo.

The Pope – a sports fan who is known for his passion for the Argentinean football club San Lorenzo - thanked Choue. At the World Conference on Sport and Faith hosted by the Pontiff at the Vatican in October 2016, the Pope showned great interest in the WT Demonstration Team’s performance during the opening ceremony. The team also performed for victims of the earthquake that took place in Amatrice, Italy in 2016. The Pope expressed his interest in the humanitarian activities of the global Taekwondo family, notably the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation (THF). The THF was established in Lausanne, Switzerland in 2016 with the mission of “empowering the powerless” – teaching Taekwondo to refugees and dis- placed persons throughout the world.

The meeting ended with a traditional farewell. “Pray for me,” the smiling Pope Francis implored his guests.

“It was a tremendous honor to meet a man who has such immense moral stature worldwide,” said Choue after the meeting. “It was a great privilege to brief him on the sport of Taekwondo, and on our humanitarian activities across the globe.”

On Holy Ground: Taekwondo Soars in Heart of Vatican

His Holiness Pope Francis and thousands more watch demonstration in St. Peter’s Square

World Taekwondo (WT) performed a historic demonstration in Vatican City in the presence of His Holiness Pope Francis, reflecting the federation’s ongoing commitment to sending a message of peace through Taekwondo.

The demonstration took place in St. Peter’s Square on May 30, 2019 in front of thousands of people gathered from all over the world for Pope Francis’ general audience.

The team performed a powerful and highly symbolic demonstration that ended with team members unfurling a banner reading “Peace is More Precious than Triumph” in Italian. Following the demonstration, Pope Francis personally thanked the team.

Pope Francis spoke many times of the positive values sport brings to society.

In May 2017, the Pope was awarded an honorary 10th dan black belt by WT President Chungwon Choue during a special visit to Vatican City, where the Pope expressed his interest in the humanitarian activities of the THF.

“It is a huge honor for World Taekwondo to be invited to Vatican City to perform a demonstration at this holy and historic location,” Choue said. “We are very grateful to His Holiness Pope Francis for allowing us this opportunity to send out a message that peace is more precious than triumph.”

WT has been widely recognized for its commiment to charitable initiatives and sports diplomacy.

In 2016, the WT Demonstration Team performed in an indoor auditorium in Vatican City for the 1st Global Conference on Faith and Sport.

‘Taekwonplomacy:’ Full-Power Peace Message Delivered in Pyongyang

For the second time in 2018, the WT Demo Team enjoyed a thunderous reception in the North Korean capital

For the second time in 2018, World Taekwondo (WT) and the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) performed a spectacular joint demonstration in North Korea’s capital Pyongyang, showcasing the power of Taekwondo as a vehicle for sport diplomacy. They previously performed together in Pyongyang in April 2018.

On Oct. 31, 2018, in front of more than 2,300 people packed into the Taekwondo Hall, demonstration teams from the two international Taekwondo governing bodies put on a show of jaw-dropping athleticism.

The WT Demonstration Team opened the show with a fusion of poomsae and modern dance before carrying out blindfold breaks, in which the strikers were guided on to targets by hand bells. Then came a series of brilliantly coordinated breaks involving punches and kicks, followed by choreographed fight routines.

After 30 minutes of WT’s performance, the ITF team marched on in traditional, all-white dobok without any background music. Their performance was full of power moves, breaking bricks and tiles with kicks, and enduring strikes across their limbs and torsos.

While WT’s performance was more colorful, the ITF’s appeared to be more traditional .

Joint poomsae wrapped up the evening and the crowd reacted enthusiastically with thunderous applause. At its conclusion, WT and ITF athletes shook hands; some embraced each other. For many, it was a reunion at the same venue.

“Among the four joint performances they have displayed so far, this one was the best,” WT President Chungwon Choue said.

“Today has shown that there is far more that unites us than divides us. Taekwondo has the power to open up dialogue and contribute to more peaceful understanding between nations,” he added.

Among the dignitaries who watched the event were ITF President Ri Yong Son and North Korea’s National Sports Guidance Committee Chairman Choe Hwi.

After the event, Choue invited the WT delegation, ITF officials and athletes to a special dinner at Pyongyang’s famed cold noodle restaurant, Okryugwan.

The demonstration followed an agreement signed between WT and the ITF that would see the two federations forming a joint committee with the aim of “One World, One Sport Taekwondo.”

Boards Smash, Hands Clap at U.N.

World Taekwondo (WT) and the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) showcased the power of Taekwondo to promote peace during a joint demonstration at the United Nations Office in Geneva (UNOG) on April 12, 2019.

It was the fourth demonstration held over the last week to mark the 25th anniversary of Taekwondo being included in the Olympic program. It also celebrated the growing collaboration between the two federations.

The U.N. office in Geneva, a symbol of unity, collaboration and international peace, provided an ideal setting for the joint demonstration, sending a strong message about Taekwondo’s power to teach values that transcend sport.

U.N. Geneva Director General Michael Moller, ambassadors, members of the diplomatic corps as well as board members and staff from international organizations watched with awe as 28 delegates from WT and 23 delegates from the ITF showcased the skill, excitement and drama of Taekwondo.

The athletes performed gravity-defying kicks, spectacular board breaks, self-defense moves and graceful poomsae skills. Many members of the audience, unfamiliar with Taekwondo, were clearly astonished.

This was the second time WT visited the U.N. offices in Geneva, after an initial visit in 2016 to discuss humanitarian and peace-building initiatives. The WT Demonstration Team had the honor of performing a demonstration during that visit.

Prior to the performance, Moller said, “We are proactively looking for ways to strengthen our cooperation with international sport fed- erations. We are doing this because we see important synergies between the work of sport federations and international organizations. Sport is an important enabler to reach out to young people worldwide and to disseminate the values enshrined in the U.N. Charter.”

“It is an honor to be back at the U.N. office here in Geneva; WT and the U.N. share many of the same values,” said WT President Chungwon Choue. “It was at the U.N. headquarters in New York in 2015 that we first announced the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation (THF). Since then, we have supported a number of humanitarian and peace -building initiatives all around the world.”

Choue noted the importance of the venue. “Today was a symbolic moment for our sport as it was the first time that WT and the ITF have performed together at the U.N.,” he said. “We have different rules, use different equipment and some of the techniques used by our athletes have diverged, but as today’s event has proven, we are moving toward unity.”

WT and the U.N. have enjoyed a close relationship for many years, particularly in providing opportunities for refugees.

“The ITF has conducted joint demonstrations with WT several times in the past with the purpose to unify Taekwondo,” said ITF President Ri Yong Son. “Taekwondo is the legacy and pride of mankind as it promotes people’s health and aspires for peace and justice. I hope this historic event will be the opportunity to unify Taekwondo.”

Prior to the event at UNOG, a WT and ITF joint demonstration had taken place at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) under the theme of “Taekwondo for Peace.”