#119: Taekwondo for Turtles: Malta Taekwondo Community Kicks for a Greener Future

The Malta Taekwondo Association (MTA) is bringing the Taekwondo community together for a cause that reaches far beyond the dojang with the launch of “Taekwondo for Turtles – Kicking for a Greener Future.”

Organised in collaboration with Nature Trust Malta, the initiative forms part of the Malta Taekwondo Association’s participation in the WT Sustainability Award 2026, under the Environmental Sustainability category. Through fundraising, education and community involvement, the campaign aims to support sea turtle rehabilitation while raising awareness about wildlife protection and environmental conservation.

Taekwondo United for a Cause

At the heart of the initiative is a simple idea: when clubs, athletes, coaches, officials and families work together, even relatively small individual contributions can make a meaningful collective difference.

Affiliated Taekwondo clubs across Malta are being encouraged to raise funds to sponsor turtles through Nature Trust Malta. Each turtle sponsorship costs €30, with the MTA initially aiming to sponsor at least three to four turtles. Any additional funds collected will further support Nature Trust Malta’s important rehabilitation and conservation work.

The campaign is also an opportunity to demonstrate that the values developed through Taekwondo extend well beyond sporting competition. Respect, responsibility and community are fundamental principles of the martial art, and the initiative places those values into action through responsibility towards wildlife and the environment.

Learning Beyond the Dojang

Fundraising is only one part of the campaign.

On Saturday, 22 August 2026 at 11:30 a.m., members of the Taekwondo community will have the opportunity to visit Nature Trust Malta at Xrobb l-Għaġin.

During the visit, participants will learn about sea turtle rehabilitation, wildlife protection and the wider environmental work carried out by Nature Trust Malta. The funds raised by the Taekwondo community will also be presented as part of the visit.

Nature Trust Malta’s Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre rescues, rehabilitates and releases marine, terrestrial and avian wildlife, making the visit an opportunity for young athletes in particular to see first-hand why conservation work matters.

The MTA is encouraging strong participation from affiliated clubs, with athletes, coaches, officials, parents and families all welcome to take part. Bringing representatives from across Malta's Taekwondo community together will help make the project a genuinely collective initiative.

Clubs Encouraged to Get Involved

Clubs are being asked to share the campaign with their members and encourage athletes and families to contribute whatever they can. The deadline for clubs to submit the donations they have collected to the MTA is Friday, 21 August 2026.

Every contribution counts. More importantly, the initiative gives athletes an opportunity to see how the discipline and values they practise through sport can translate into positive action within the wider community.

The campaign also carries a strong educational message for younger generations. Taekwondo develops more than physical ability; it encourages discipline, respect and a sense of responsibility. Protecting wildlife and caring for the environment are another way of putting those principles into practice.

Kicking for a Greener Future

Through Taekwondo for Turtles, the Malta Taekwondo Association hopes not only to raise funds but also to encourage greater environmental awareness throughout its community.

Sport has the power to unite people, and when that collective energy is directed towards a worthwhile cause, its impact can extend far beyond medals, tournaments and training halls.

With clubs and families across Malta joining forces, this initiative is an opportunity for the Taekwondo community to make a tangible contribution to wildlife conservation while demonstrating the positive role sport can play in society.

Respect. Responsibility. Community. Environment.

Our responsibility does not stop at the edge of the dojang.

For the Malta Taekwondo community, it is time to come together — and kick for a greener future.