The event was designed to provide refugees living in Dzaleka with an opportunity to showcase their skills, confidence and progress through judo. Throughout the day, participants demonstrated techniques, discipline and teamwork on the tatami, while poems and cultural activities highlighted the human dimension of the programme and the resilience of the refugee community.
Located near the Malawian capital Lilongwe, Dzaleka Refugee Camp hosts thousands of refugees and asylum seekers from several African countries, particularly from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda and Somalia. Despite difficult living conditions and limited opportunities, the camp has progressively become an important centre for educational and sporting initiatives, including the development of Judo for Peace activities supported by the International Judo Federation.
Malawi has long been recognised for its relatively open and supportive approach towards refugee communities. Through co-operation between local authorities, humanitarian organisations and sports initiatives, programmes such as Judo for Peace aim to offer young refugees structure, education, inclusion and hope for the future.
A total of 60 refugees, alongside four athletes from Lilongwe and ten athletes from surrounding communities, participated in the event, illustrating the growing connections being built between refugee populations and local communities via judo.
Among the guests present were Osbourne Banda, president of the federation, Mrs Bibi, chair of the Judo for Peace Women’s Commission, and guest of honour Alfred Banda, the chief cultural co-ordinator.
The day concluded with a symbolic and meaningful activity: the planting of trees within the Dzaleka camp. This initiative formed part of the IJF Green Dojo programme, a worldwide project launched by the International Judo Federation to encourage environmental awareness and sustainable practices within the global judo community.
The Green Dojo initiative promotes concrete environmental actions such as recycling, reducing waste, environmental education and tree planting, while encouraging judoka to understand their responsibility for future generations. At Dzaleka, the tree planting ceremony carried a particularly strong message. In a place often associated with displacement and uncertainty, planting trees became a symbol of growth, stability and hope.
Beyond sport itself, the Judo for Peace Open Day demonstrated the deeper role judo can play in vulnerable communities. Through discipline, mutual respect and solidarity, Judo for Peace continues to provide young refugees with opportunities to rebuild confidence, create social bonds and imagine a future beyond the hardships they face every day.
At Dzaleka, the tatami is not simply a training space. It is a place where dignity, community spirit and hope continue to grow together.