INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR IN GREECE CONDUCTED BY THE PRESIDENT OF ITF GRAND MASTER CHOI JUNG HWA – APRIL 2013

 

On Wednesday, 24 of April GM Choi Jung Hwa arrived to Greece and in specific to the city of Thessaloniki where he was welcomed by the President of INO#370, Master Soldatos Aggelos and Master Kiriakidis Konstantinos as well as other members of the association. Grand Master stayed at Thessaloniki and had a meeting with the members informing them about the international progress of TaekwonDo.

Thereafter he travelled to the city of Preveza, where the seat of INO#370 is and also the place where the seminar, the reason of the President’s visit to our country, would be conducted. At his arrival at Preveza he visited “Efkleas” TaekwonDo club. Younger and older athletes reserved him a warm welcoming. They took photographs together and he handed out autographs. Then he was informed about how TaekwonDo is spread in our country and the local progress. He himself advised the members and the instructors on the correct way of instructing and practicing making a special point on the significance on the part of DO, the evolution of the spiritual aspect of TaekwonDo. For once more he mentioned the international federation’s support to the Greek association and its difficult task. With high security he was escorted to the hotel where he kept meeting with the members.

Next day the President visited Lefkada and Vonitsa as a response to the honoring invitations of the local authorities. During the conversations he had with the mayors of both cities, the importance and the advantages of creating good citizens through the instruction of TaekwonDo were highlighted. He was informed about the development in the areas and he witnessed the complete support of the authorities to the local clubs regarding TaekwonDo’s spreading and sports promotion in general. He awarded both the mayors with the first degree DAN.

After that he was guided to the cities by the organizer of the seminar, Master Soldatos Aggelos and the other members of the association and had lunch together. Returning to Preveza he enjoyed an evening walk at picturesque spots of the city with the company of members and friends of TaekwonDo.

The following day at the Police Headquarters he was welcomed by the Chief. He thanked the President for his visit to our city. He reassured him about the support police is giving to the most integrated martial art mentioning that many police officers are practicing TaekwonDo. The President thanked the personnel that formed his personal security and were escorting him throughout his stay in our country.

His next meeting was with the mayor of Preveza. During their conversation he expressed his gratitude for the valuable contribution of the authorities to the events of TaekwonDo and the support to the club. He promised to conduct another international seminar in our city and mentioned for once more how impressed he was by our country, the welcoming and the effectiveness of the organizing committee. The mayor asked the European Championship to be held in Greece and in specific in Preveza, making the commitment that he will do everything possible despite the problems that our country faces.

In the afternoon of that day the international seminar started with the participation of 110 members coming from various Greek cities and from other countries as well, such as Italy, Bulgaria, Albania, Sweden, Cyprus, Australia. After the opening speech of Master Soldatos Aggelos, the President welcomed the participants and emphasized on the prospective that derive through such events and aim to TaekwonDo’s evolution. According to the President, the basic purpose of that seminar, besides the improvement of athletes’ and instructors’ technique was the spiritual evolution which he considers being of great significance for TaekwonDo. The members that attended the seminar expressed their enthusiasm about his way of instructing and were impressed and fulfilled by his immediacy and the simplicity of his character.

On the last day of the seminar a championship was held to honor the President. He attended the finals of some of the categories and awarded many athletes.