Children from nine countries graduate from Taekwondo Open Summer School in Lesvos
Children from nine countries graduate from Taekwondo Open Summer School in Lesvos
The Taekwondo coach from the Republic of Korea addresses graduates of the Taekwondo Open Summer School during the closing ceremony in Lesvos.
LESVOS, Greece – Children and teenagers from Syria, Yemen, Greece, Egypt, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Bangladesh, Cameroon and Afghanistan completed a one-month Taekwondo Open Summer School in Lesvos marking the occasion at a closing ceremony on 31 August that highlighted the role of sport in promoting respect, well-being and inclusion.
The programme was an initiative of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the UNESCO International Centre of Martial Arts (UNESCO ICM), delivered in cooperation with the NGOs Yoga and Sport with Refugees and Iliaktida AMKE, with the support of the General Secretariat for Vulnerable Persons and Institutional Protection (GSVPIP) of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum and of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Greece. Held at the Yoga and Sport with Refugees gym, the initiative brought together 44 unaccompanied children and youth aged 12 to 17, including 28 boys and 16 girls, for regular training led by an expert instructor from World Taekwondo, who travelled from the Republic of Korea to Lesvos.
Over four weeks, the Open School offered a safe and structured space for participants to stay active during the summer, develop new skills and connect with peers from different backgrounds. “It is a unique sport. I like it because it makes me feel safe, and I love that it is an ancient technique,” said one young participant.
At the closing ceremony, hosted at Iliaktida’s Pyxida centre, graduates received certificates and showcased the skills they had developed during the programme before watching a Taekwondo demonstration by their Korean coach. The event was attended by Laura Lo Castro, UNHCR Representative in Greece; Ambassador Lim Ju-seongof the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Greece; Dr Gelly Aroni, Head of the Directorate for Unaccompanied Minors of GSVPIP; and Estelle Jean, Founder of Yoga and Sport with Refugees.
Dr Gelly Aroni and Ambassador Lim Ju-seong present a certificate to one of the young programme graduates.
UNHCR Representative in Greece Laura Lo Castro and Ambassador Lim Ju-seong present a certificate to one of the young programme graduates.
Estelle Jean, Founder of Yoga and Sport with Refugees, addresses attendees at the closing ceremony.
Τhe Open Taekwondo School closing ceremony was hosted at Iliaktida’s Pyxida centre.
Participants say goodbye to their coach following the completion of the Taekwondo Open Summer School.
A Taekwondo training session hosted at the Yoga and Sport with Refugees gym.
A Taekwondo training session hosted at the Yoga and Sport with Refugees gym.
Before the award ceremony, five mentors working with the GSVPIP, who had themselves arrived in Greece as unaccompanied children, led a reflection activity. Participants shared their experiences on notes placed on a testimony board, describing how the classes had helped them feel more active, engaged and confident. A young girl, attending Taekwondo for the first time, described the experience as very positive, saying that she had come to love the sport and felt more confident in her ability to defend herself.
For UNHCR, sport can offer children and young people forced to flee a sense of protection, belonging and hope, while helping them recover from trauma, build confidence, friendships and resilience. The Taekwondo Open Summer School reflects this approach, demonstrating how partnerships can help refugee children and youth thrive and feel part of their communities.
The initiative also marked the first collaboration between UNESCO ICM and UNHCR since the Centre’s establishment, laying the foundation for future cooperation on the role of sport in promoting social inclusion, psychosocial well-being and peace.