Taekwondo tournament brings together children from Ukraine and Bulgaria

This week, on the occasion of the International Taekwondo Day, Sofia hosted a taekwondo championship that brought together refugee and Bulgarian children, highlighting the power of sport to promote inclusion, resilience, and solidarity. The event was organized by ‘Taekwondo School’ – a refugee-led organization from Ukraine supported by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.

The aim of the school and the tournament is to provide a safe and empowering space for children, mainly forcibly displaced from Ukraine, to build resilience, develop skills and create strong social bonds with the local community. UNHCR Representative in Bulgaria, Seda Kuzucu emphasized the importance of sport for refugee children:

"For us, sport is more than just a game – it is a powerful tool for promoting inclusion and social cohesion, as well as building resilience. For children and young people, safe spaces for sport mean opportunities for growth, support for their mental health, and the development of the skills they need for the future."

UNHCR directly supports the Taekwondo School, created by and for refugees, to ensure the continuation of regular taekwondo lessons for refugee children until the end of 2025.

A special guest at the event was H.E. Dong-Bae Kim, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Bulgaria, who emphasized that taekwondo embodies noble spirit and patience.

The Republic of Korea is one of UNHCR's main government partners, supporting the agency's work to assist forcibly displaced people around the world. The country's contribution to UNHCR is essential for providing humanitarian assistance and protection to those most in need.

UNHCR Representative and the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea presented awards of excellence to children who had achieved outstanding results in taekwondo throughout the year.

‘Taekwondo School’ was created by the Taekwondo coach Oleksii Zherebchevskyi, who expressed gratitude for the support of their activities and noted that:

“Today, everyone is here to embody the spirit and values of Taekwondo. To all the athletes - go and win, prove your strength and inspire everyone else!”

More information:
More than 2 million refugees from Ukraine have passed through Bulgaria since the start of the large-scale war in 2022. By mid-2025, around 67,000 were registered as having temporary protection in the country.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees provides protection and support for their socio-economic integration. UNHCR assists the Bulgarian government in strengthening its asylum system in line with international and European standards.

About the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR):
The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, protects people forced to flee their homes due to conflict and persecution. It works in over 130 countries, helping millions of people, providing life-saving support, protecting their fundamental human rights, and helping them build a better future.

Contact:
Ekaterina Dimitrova
Associate External Relations Officer
+359 88 492 2565
[email protected]