PARIS, France (Aug 8, 2024) - World Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue today invited beneficiaries of the Terrains d'Avenir program living in a shelter for asylum seeks in Paris to experience the spectacular Olympic Taekwondo venue at the Grand Palais. They were joined by ASOIF President Francesco Ricci Bitti.

The Terrains d’Avenir programme, was launched in February 2022 and co-financed by the Olympic Refuge Foundation and French Sports Ministry. It aims to help refugees in the Île-de-France region to create a sense of belonging and set themselves on a positive life path through sport. The Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation (THF) was one of six partners responsible for organising and implementing the project.

President Choue welcomed the participants, many of whom live in the same shelter for asylum seekers – the CADA de Châtillon in the south-west of Paris. As part of Terrains d'Avenir they started practicing Taekwondo in April, this year. They are aged from 18-50, and practice Taekwondo once a week at the VanThuyne Taekwondo venue. "They are very committed, attending the Taekwondo class every week, are respectful and arrive on time to the training session", said Nicolas, their coach. The participants come from Afghanistan, Mauritania, Cameroon and Burkina Faso. In a short time, they have improved their technical level and are happy to be part of a family, and would like to train more often.

All participants expressed their gratitude for the opportunity and thanked President Choue. They have been very happy to watch the fights, learning more about Taekwondo and turning this moment into a memorable experience.