"Migrant Background Children and Local Youth United Through Soccer"

Hope Friends Kia Cares Successfully Concludes "Everyone's Ground - Shooting for Hope"

Players participating in "Everyone's Ground - Shooting for Hope," hosted by Hope Friends Kia Support, are taking a commemorative photo. Kia Support

Hope Friends Kia Cares (Chairman Choi Changnam) announced on December 1 that it held the 2025 Migrant Background Children and Youth Soccer Tournament, "Everyone's Ground - Shooting for Hope," at the Korea National Football Center in Cheonan, Chungcheongnam-do, on November 29.

This tournament, held for the first time this year, was organized to highlight various challenges faced by children and youth with migrant backgrounds in Korea, such as difficulties in forming peer relationships, discrimination, and isolation, and to help them adapt to a healthy community through sports activities. In particular, the event focused on restoring self-esteem among children with migrant backgrounds through soccer and fostering natural exchanges with local children, thereby strengthening their social relationships and adaptability.

The event was co-hosted by Hope Friends Kia Cares and the Korea Football Association Football Love Sharing Foundation. Bondosirak provided 300 lunchboxes for participants, and the sports equipment brand Nassau sponsored a variety of soccer gear, including uniforms, soccer balls, vests, and shin guards. In addition, Lotte Mart and Lotte Super supported snacks for the teams, while the Daejeon and Cheonan Sponsorship Councils also contributed to this meaningful event through their support.

Nine teams participated in the tournament, including six teams of children and youth with migrant backgrounds-selected based on criteria such as ongoing training, willingness to participate, safety, and balance of skills-and three teams composed of local children.

Choi Changnam, Chairman of Hope Friends Kia Cares, stated, "This event was a meaningful occasion that showed children and youth with migrant backgrounds, who are struggling to adapt to Korean society, can fully demonstrate their talents and grow healthily within the community." He added, "In addition to our ongoing efforts to create a society where every child, regardless of origin or background, can enjoy equal opportunities, we will continue to provide sustainable support so that each child, every family, and the entire community can experience positive change."

Hope Friends Kia Cares has been actively engaged in related initiatives, including publishing the issue report "Three Barriers Faced by Children with Migrant Backgrounds: Bridge the Gap, Be the Bridge" in October, which provided an in-depth analysis of the structural challenges faced by migrant background children in the areas of education, care, and career development. The organization plans to continue offering ongoing support to help children with migrant backgrounds take root stably in Korean society and grow as members of the community.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.