Our commitment to refugees at the first ever Global Refugee Forum

The first ever Global Refugee Forum started yesterday in Geneva, Switzerland. This two-day Forum will be the scenario of an important sporting world commitment to refugees around the world.

Acknowledging the power of sport transforming lives, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has closely worked with the Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to encourage sport organisations to join the initiative of making the world a better place for refugees through sport.

Therefore, UNHCR and IOC announced last week that over 80 organisations including National Olympic Committees, international sporting federations, national associations, clubs, and civil society organisations, responded the call.

Together with the ITTF, we are some of the organisations signing the following three pledges:

      1. To promote and ensure access for all refugees, without distinction of any kind, to safe and inclusive sporting facilities.
      2. To increase availability and access to organized sports and sport-based initiatives for refugee and hosting communities, actively considering age, gender, ability and other diversity needs.
      3. To promote and facilitate equal access to and participation of refugees in sporting events and competitions at all levels.
By taking these pledges, we are only reinforcing their commitment to refugees.
World Taekwondo, Peace and Sport and ITTF Foundation together at the Global Refugee Forum in Geneva, Switzerland.

Last year we officially launched the Nittaku Dream Building with Refugees project at the Za’atari Camp in Jordan in cooperation with the “Live Together” programme by Peace and Sport and UNHCR. Local coaches were prepared to run daily sessions for boys in the morning and for girls in the afternoon. Currently, a session for people with disabilities is being integrated.

The new project in Azraq Camp was recently announced thanks to the support of the Agitos Foundation and the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation, which aims to offer activities in the camp focusing on providing access to persons with a disability.

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