The 2018 IFMA Youth Championship has had many highlights besides the competitions, conferences and activities. One of them was the planting of a wishing tree which made its entrance during the Youth Wai Kru Forum.

Youth from 82 countries came together in the hundreds to perform the traditional Wai Kru showing respect for one another regardless of religion, societal, gender or any other differences. Discrimination of any kind has no place in the IFMA family. The chair of the IFMA Athletes’ Commission Janice Lyn spoke at the forum stating simply that we compete under the same rules, we love the same art and sports, we drink the same water and that one world one Muaythai is more than a slogan in the Muaythai world.

The CEO of United Through Sports Julia Govinden addressed the IFMA youth explaining the importance of sport to unite, to bring hope and to take down walls.The IFMA youth is the perfect example of generations that regardless to differences have respect towards one another and together we can do so much more.

The IFMA President Dr. Sakchye Tapsuan together with the IFMA General Secretary Stephan Fox and IFMA Director Charissa Tynan, placed their wishes on the tree of hope followed by the youngest athletes adding their own wishes. At the end of the forum, over 500 wishes had been placed on the branches of the tree.

The IFMA President Stated that he felt a true sense of pride reading the many messages, dreams and hopes of the children. The tree has now found its place in the new IFMA headquarters for visitors to hang their wishes united through sports with the IFMA youth.

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