LAUSANNE, Switzerland (Jun 2, 2025) - The Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF) Board convened at the Olympic House in Lausanne for its annual meeting. Hosted by IOC President and ORF Chairman Thomas Bach, the meeting marked a pivotal moment for the Foundation as it evaluated past achievements and shaped the strategic vision for 2025–2030. The ORF Chairman opened the session by welcoming Board members, including IOC President-elect Kirsty Coventry, UN High Commissioner for Refugees and ORF Vice Chairman Filippo Grandi, Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, and Dr. Chungwon Choue, President of World Taekwondo (WT) and Chairman of the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation (THF).
President Bach emphasized the importance of the ORF’s mission in an era of increasing displacement, while the IOC President-elect expressed her gratitude for his leadership and reiterated her commitment to sustaining the IOC’s engagement with refugees in her future role.
A special segment of the meeting was dedicated to the THF. WT President and THF Chairman, Dr. Chungwon Choue was recognized for his long-standing commitment to supporting refugees and displaced persons through Taekwondo and engaging with the broader Olympic sports family.
Citing the success of the 3rd Hope and Dreams Sports Festival in Jordan, the Board watched a highlights video and expressed their collective appreciation of the THF’s initiatives. Dr. Choue expressed his vision to expand next year’s Festival to at least 10 sports, in commemoration of the THF’s 10th founding anniversary. Dr. Choue also emphasized the power of multi-sport engagement in transforming the lives of displaced youth. He also reported on his recent visit to Rwanda, sharing his impressions on Mahama Refugee Camp, where the THF have supported Taekwondo activities since 2018.
The ORF Chairman personally thanked Dr. Choue for his pioneering initiatives and commended his continued leadership in leveraging sport to bring hope and empowerment to displaced youth.
The UN High Commissioner addressed the Board, underscoring both the growing pressure on refugee support systems due to ongoing crises in Ukraine, Sudan, and the Middle East, and the funding cuts faced by the UN Refugee Agency. Despite these challenges, he noted emerging signs of hope in regions like Syria and thanked President Bach for ORF’s approaches in addressing displacement through sport.
Spotlight on ORF Programs
The Board reviewed key ORF initiatives that are currently impacting displaced youth:
• Game Connect (Uganda): Aimed at improving mental health and psychosocial well-being through sport, this program has impacted over 10,000 young people aged 15–24. Implemented by a consortium including AVSI Foundation, Right to Play, Youth Sport Uganda, and others. Game Connect was recently visited by President Bach, who praised its measurable impact.
• Play 2 Protect (Kenya): Operating in the Kakuma Refugee Camp and Kalobeyei Integrated Settlement, this initiative promotes social cohesion and provides safe spaces for refugee youth through sports.
• SPiRiT (Bangladesh): Targeting climate-vulnerable communities in Kurigram and Dhaka, the program uses sport to foster resilience among youth displaced by environmental challenges.
Since its founding in 2017, the ORF has empowered over 950,000 refugees globally through sport, as highlighted in a compelling video shared with the Board.
The ORF 2025–2030 strategic plan reaffirms the Foundation’s role as a critical vehicle for delivering hope and opportunity to the world’s most vulnerable populations through sport. The upcoming strategy will be based on the ORF pillars, shaping the future of its action, adapting and implementing through partnerships in regions most affected by conflict, displacement, and climate change.
The meeting concluded with a renewed sense of purpose: that sport, when mobilized with vision, remains a uniquely powerful tool to heal, protect, and transform lives.
