June 20, 2025
World Refugee Day is a global call to recognise the courage, aspirations and rights of forcibly displaced people. Nowhere was that spirit more alive than at the 3rd Hope and Dreams Sports Festival, held from 30 April to 3 May 2025 in Amman, Jordan, where more than 1,250 refugee children and young athletes came together to experience the unifying power of sport.
Organised by the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation (THF) and World Taekwondo, with the support of the Badminton World Federation (BWF), FIBA Foundation, Baseball5, and handball, this year’s festival was the most inclusive to date. It featured an expanded programme of sports—some new, some returning—all designed to provide joy, structure and opportunity to children from refugee backgrounds.
Among those activities, badminton has emerged as one of the fastest growing. In 2024, just 14 children from the Azraq camp had taken up the sport. One year later, 80 children aged 6 to 16 participated in the 2025 festival, a result of consistent weekly training and expanded outreach throughout the year.
BWF Development Project Manager, Jaffer Ebrahim, who has overseen the programme and attended the festival, shared how impactful the growth has been. “Since our involvement in the 2nd festival, we’ve worked to grow the badminton programme to include 80 players who are not only improving their badminton skills but also gaining essential life skills. Through our Shuttle Time Youth Leadership Programme, we’ve ensured young refugees gain valuable life lessons alongside their love for the sport.”
In October 2024, BWF organised a Shuttle Time Youth Leadership Workshop at Azraq camp. Graduates of the workshop are now taking on new roles—coaching younger players, umpiring games, and organising internal competitions—creating a self-sustaining programme led by youth, for youth.
Refugee coach Naim Saleh Abdul Qader Al-Waqfi has continued leading weekly sessions at Azraq, supported by BWF and under the guidance of Ebrahim. “We have a full-year plan leading up to the 2026 Hope and Dreams Festival, which includes weekly training sessions, competitions, and learning opportunities,” said Ebrahim. “The programme is going from strength to strength.”
The sport has had a tangible personal impact. Areej, aged 13, shared: “Before badminton, my life was just going to school and coming back home with without a dream. After playing badminton, I have made friends and found purpose in life. I now dream of competing in the Olympics and I can’t imagine life without badminton.”
As part of the festival build-up, Ebrahim again visited the Azraq and Zaatari refugee camps, introducing Shuttle Time activities and ensuring continued access to equipment and coaching support. During the festival itself, children were invited to the Jordan national training centre for a dedicated coaching clinic conducted in partnership with the Jordan Badminton Federation.
BWF President, Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul said: “The BWF is deeply committed to supporting humanitarian efforts, and our partnership with THF at the 3rd Hope and Dreams Festival 2025 is truly special. Witnessing young refugees embrace badminton as the sport transforms their lives and ignites hope is incredibly rewarding. We will continue to support such initiatives.”
BWF’s commitment is rooted in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with THF in 2019 and the outcomes of that partnership continue to grow. Looking ahead, BWF is already preparing for the 4th Hope and Dreams Sports Festival in 2026, which will mark THF’s 10th anniversary and aims to include 10 sports and even more refugee participants.
Festival organisers and sport federations alike hailed the 2025 edition as a major success. “This has been the biggest and best edition of the Hope and Dreams Sports Festival so far,” said THF President Chungwon Choue, “and we are deeply grateful for the support of our partners. The resilience of these young athletes is truly remarkable.”
Photo credit: Taekwando Humanitarian Foundation
