SEOUL, Korea (April 30, 2021) - The first World Taekwondo-FISU University Sports and Peace Forum was held virtually on 30 April as both organisations came together to promote the role of sport in acting as a vehicle for world peace and harmony.
The Forum aimed to seek positive solutions and develop proactive suggestions to improve current difficulties through sport bringing people together. The Forum comprised subthemes of Humanity, Social Justice and Gender Equality and saw World Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue deliver a keynote speech alongside FISU Acting President Leonz Eder.
Following the keynote speeches, delegates received three main speeches from UNHCR refugee sport Coordinator and Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation (THF) board member Claude Marshall; FISU Executive Board member Delise O’Meally; and FISU Executive Board member and Gender Equality Committee Chair Rosaura Mendez Gamboa.
Marshall’s speech centred on humanitarian support for refugee youth and the vital role of sports. Speaking from his experience with the UNHCR and THF, Marshall addressed the value of sport for refugee youth and what university students can do to help. O’Meally addressed social justice and University sport; looking at the growing movement to speak out against social injustice, particularly racial injustice, and how University sports can engage. Mendez Gamboa discussed how sport can be a powerful tool for inclusion and the work FISU is doing in promoting gender equality.
The forum was moderated by Prof. Russell Ahn, Vice Chair of WT Taekwondo for All Committee and Taekwondo Technical Chair of FISU.
World Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue and FISU President Oleg Matytsin developed the idea for the Forum during the Napoli Summer Universidade in 2019. The two organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding that same year and committed to creating World University Sports Peace Corps,” which will cultivate future leaders through various sporting, training, and education programmes.
Click here to watch the full webinar video
