KIGALI, Rwanda (Feb. 6, 2026) – The Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation (THF) has successfully concluded the Hope and Dreams Sport Festival, held from 4 to 6 February 2026 in Rwanda, bringing together more than 250 refugee children from Mahama and Kiziba Refugee Camps, as well as invitees from host communities.
The festival aimed to empower refugee youth through sport, discipline and community engagement, using Taekwondo as a tool for education, resilience and social inclusion. Participants travelled safely to Kigali, where they competed across cadet, junior and senior categories, while also taking part in cultural and social activities designed to foster confidence, friendship and mutual understanding.
The main competition was held on 5 February at one of Kigali’s major sports venues (Petit Stade Amahoro) and concluded with an award ceremony attended by representatives from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Rwanda, Mahma Camp manager representing the Ministry of Emergency
Management (MINEMA), and Kukkiwon Dispatched Master. Their participation highlighted strong institutional support for refugee sport initiatives and youth development in the country.
Beyond competition, the festival placed a strong emphasis on long-term development and education.
On the final day, athletes took part in a technical training session led by Kukkiwon, followed by the distribution of certificates and participation medals, ensuring an inclusive experience for all participants.
The event followed a visit to Mahama Refugee Camp in May 2025 by Dr. Chungwon Choue, President of World Taekwondo and Chairman of THF, who reaffirmed the Foundation’s continued commitment to supporting refugee sport programmes in Rwanda. The visit was also attended by International Olympic Committee (IOC) Member Félicité Rwemarika and World Taekwondo Council Member Maher Magableh.
The 2026 Hope and Dreams Sport Festival also marked a significant milestone as part of the 10th anniversary of the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation, featuring unified branding with World Taekwondo and the Rwanda Taekwondo Federation. THF expressed its sincere appreciation to the Rwanda Taekwondo Federation and Mr. Philbert, THF Project Lead in Rwanda, for their outstanding local organisation and coordination, which were instrumental to the event’s success.
Looking ahead, THF reaffirmed its long-term commitment to Rwanda, announcing plans to host a larger-scale Hope and Dreams Sports Festival in 2027. Future initiatives will place a stronger focus on athlete development, including opportunities for refugee athletes to pursue black belt grading by the end of the year.
Founded in 2016, the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation marks its 10th anniversary in 2026, celebrating a decade of humanitarian action through sport. THF has been active in Rwanda since 2017, delivering sustainable Taekwondo programmes in refugee camps that promote physical and mental well-being, social cohesion and peaceful coexistence.
Later this year, THF will continue its anniversary initiatives at the Hope and Dreams Sports Festival scheduled to take place in April 2026 in Amman, Jordan. President Choue emphasized that the anniversary marks a major milestone in World Taekwondo’s humanitarian journey and confirmed that the Olympic Refuge Foundation will join the festival, further strengthening global collaboration to support and empower refugee youth through sport.
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