The World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) is taking the first step to fulfill its pledge to help refugee camps around the world.
 
The Seoul-based governing body of the Korean martial arts said Friday that it will open a Taekwondo Academy in the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan, which is accommodating refugees fleeing from war-torn Syria, next month. 
 
A group of Taekwondo masters from the WTF left for Jordan Friday morning to hold a demonstration during the opening ceremony of the academy on December 2. WTF President Choue Chung-won will be attending the opening ceremony. 
 
After the performance, Master Hong Si-young plans to remain in Jordan for two months and teach the children at the camp, together with Taekwondo masters recruited from the region. The four local masters, selected out of 20 applicants, will also help Hong communicate with the kids.
 
During the opening ceremony, the WTF also plans to donate 300 Taekwondo uniforms, 300 T-Shirts and backpacks to those residing in the camp.
 
The WTF officials said they hope the academy will continuously serve as a passage of hope for the children at the camp. 
 
The WTF Taekwondo Academy in Jordan is a pilot project before the WTF officially launches the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation, which will execute a variety of humanitarian projects for refugee camp children around the world.
 
WTF President Cho announced a plan to establish the foundation in September, as he was attending the 2015 UN International Day of Peace event at the UN headquarters in New York.
 
It is the first time any international sports governing body established a foundation to implement humanitarian projects for refugee camps.
 
The WTF said the foundation will provide dream and hope through taekwondo for the children at the refugee camps, help them learn the spirit of the Olympics and live as a member of the global community.
 
The WTF said based on the spirit of Taekwondo, it will try to teach about the value of discipline to the young trainees at the refugee camps, and help equip them with an ability to plan their own future course by the time they leave a camp.