The 13th ITF International Do Course (IDC) was held online on 10 and 24 November 2024. It consisted of four 3-hour sessions over a 2-day period for a total of 12 hours. It was conducted in English by the Do and Ethics Committee, which included Master Janel Gauthier (Chair) and, in alphabetical order, Grand Master Abelardo Benzaquén (Argentina), Master Andreu Martínez (Spain), and Master Joliette Trân (Canada).
This IDC was special in that it was formally opened by the President of the ITF, Grand Master Paul Weiler, who welcomed participants and spoke about General Choi’s legacy regarding the Do. It also was the largest ever. It brought together 213 registered participants from 26 countries, namely (in alphabetical order): Argentina (1), Australia (1), Belgium (3), Bulgaria (8), Canada (10), Croatia (1), Cyprus (1), England (21), Finland (21), Germany (6),Ireland (5), Italy (1), Jamaica (3), Moldova (1), Netherlands (6), New Zealand (7), Norway (85), Puerto Rico (1), Scotland (10), Slovenia (1), Spain (1), Sweden (1), Switzerland (4), Ukraine (4), U.S.A. (9), and Wales (1). Among them, there were one Grand Master (namely, Grand Master Donato Nardizzi from England, also Chair of the ITF Children’s Development Committee); 19 Masters, including 4 with an 8th degree black belt (namely, Master Halgeir Betele from Norway, Master Richard Lajeunesse from Canada, Master Yogi Chand and Master Russell Dennis from England); and 34 Instructors with a 6th degree black belt.
During the IDC, participants had the opportunity to learn about a broad range of topics and reflect on many of them. Those included, but were not limited to, the following: (1) the moral culture of Taekwon-Do; (2) the origin and meaning of the word “Do”; (3) the tenets of Taekwon-Do (courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, and indomitable spirit); (4) the Student’s Oath; (5) the development of moral reasoning from childhood to adult; (6) the relations between the psychosocial determinants of human behaviour and the relevance of psychological knowledge in the teaching of Do and the building of moral character; (7) ethical decision-making and how to resolve moral dilemmas; (8) motivation and perseverance; (9) humility; (10) loyalty and respect; and (11) the integration of the teaching of Do into the teaching of Taekwon-Do (general guidelines and tips).
A wide range of activities were used to grab and hold participants’ attention throughout each day. For example, participants were polled and challenged with quiz questions during presentations. At other times, participants met in small groups in virtual breakout rooms to discuss a particular issue or find ways to address it before returning to the main meeting room to share some of their ideas with the whole group. Still at other times, they were challenged with thinking exercises designed to spark their interest and curiosity. In addition, PowerPoint presentations and demonstrations were used to help participants better understand the information presented during the course. Prior to each day of the IDC, participants were given a link to a web page where they could go to download a PDF copy of the document showing the slides that would be presented during the sessions of that day.
Since the 1st of January 2023, ITF members who wish to apply for promotion to 7th degree black belt and above are required to attend one IDC to be eligible for testing. As of the 1st of April 2025, this requirement will be extended to those who wish to apply for promotion to 4th degree black belt and above.
The IDCs for 2025 will soon be announced. The information will be posted on the ITF website at https://itftkd.sport/events/category/international-do-course/
Yours in Taekwon-Do,
Master Janel Gauthier, Prof. Dr.
Chair, I.T.F. Do and Ethics Committee
Report of the Quadruple Course in Mexico
