An international Taekwondo competition

An international workshop on sports and peace was held at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL) in Belgium on Sept. 21, 2007.

Under the topic "Sports and Peace: An Interdisciplinary Approach to the World Peace Through Sports," the two-day international workshop drew a dozen of renowned speakers from several countries.

The workshop was jointly organized by Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, the Graduate School of Physical Education, Kyung Hee University in Korea, and the International Peace Research Association. It was supported by the World Taekwondo Federation and GCS International.

Among the speakers were Prof. Luc Reychler of KUL, who also serves as secretary general of the International Peace Research Association; Mr. Niels Nygaard, president of the Danish National Olympic Committee; Prof. Ju Ho Chang, president of the Korean Olympic Academy; Prof. Franjo Prot of the Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Zagreb in Croatia; and Mr. Soren Holmgard Knudsen, president of the Danish Taekwondo Federation.

At the workshop, Chungwon Choue, president of the World Taekwondo Federation, proposed the creation of "Sports Peace Corps" in his speech at the workshop.

"The United Nations and the International Olympic Committee have many fundamental values in common. As set by the UN Charter, the ultimate goal of the UN is to bring forward cooperation of the global community to promote peace and sustainable development," said WTF President Choue.

"Enhanced partnership and coordination of action of these two organizations can create synergy to strengthen the role of sport in solving international economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems and promoting peace and development in the world," he said. "My vision of a comprehensive IOC-UN global collaboration project is the creation of 'Sport Peace Corps.'"

According to WTF President Choue, the basic mechanism of the "Sport Peace Corps" is "providing comprehensive assistance to the underdeveloped countries or the UN-assigned areas by dispatching a group of volunteers following a period of education and training. And the assistance includes coaching and training service to the local young athletes, supply of equipment and facilities, and finding the means and opportunity for the competent young people to partake in the international sport events such as the Youth Olympic Games that are due to take place in 2010." An international workshop on sports and peace was held at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL) in Belgium on Sept. 21, 2007.

Under the topic "Sports and Peace: An Interdisciplinary Approach to the World Peace Through Sports," the two-day international workshop drew a dozen of renowned speakers from several countries.

The workshop was jointly organized by Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, the Graduate School of Physical Education, Kyung Hee University in Korea, and the International Peace Research Association. It was supported by the World Taekwondo Federation and GCS International.

Among the speakers were Prof. Luc Reychler of KUL, who also serves as secretary general of the International Peace Research Association; Mr. Niels Nygaard, president of the Danish National Olympic Committee; Prof. Ju Ho Chang, president of the Korean Olympic Academy; Prof. Franjo Prot of the Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Zagreb in Croatia; and Mr. Soren Holmgard Knudsen, president of the Danish Taekwondo Federation.

At the workshop, Chungwon Choue, president of the World Taekwondo Federation, proposed the creation of "Sports Peace Corps" in his speech at the workshop.

"The United Nations and the International Olympic Committee have many fundamental values in common. As set by the UN Charter, the ultimate goal of the UN is to bring forward cooperation of the global community to promote peace and sustainable development," said WTF President Choue.

"Enhanced partnership and coordination of action of these two organizations can create synergy to strengthen the role of sport in solving international economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems and promoting peace and development in the world," he said. "My vision of a comprehensive IOC-UN global collaboration project is the creation of 'Sport Peace Corps.'"

According to WTF President Choue, the basic mechanism of the "Sport Peace Corps" is "providing comprehensive assistance to the underdeveloped countries or the UN-assigned areas by dispatching a group of volunteers following a period of education and training. And the assistance includes coaching and training service to the local young athletes, supply of equipment and facilities, and finding the means and opportunity for the competent young people to partake in the international sport events such as the Youth Olympic Games that are due to take place in 2010."