On the second weekend of September 2021 in Lublin, Poland took place the 149th International Instructor Course.
It was the first ITF event after 19 months of pandemic caused by COVID-19. It was preceded by many expectations by the ITF members to come back to the sport hall again to practice Taekwon-Do together in person. The event originally was supposed to take place in May 2020, but due to Covid-19 restrictions imposed by governments, was postponed few times. Finally Polish Taekwon-Do Association has hold the event from 10th to 12th September 2021 with presence of 179 attendees from 14 countries: Croatia, England, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Israel, Latvia, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Serbia, Ukraine and Poland.
The seminar started with a traditional bow to the Portrait of General Choi Hong Hi, to GM Paul Weiler – President of International Taekwon-Do Federation and to other Grand Masters and lecturers. Together, the participants repeated loudly the oath of Taekwon-Do. GM Paul Weiler, the special honour guest, gave speech and officially opened the seminar.
GM Hector Marano, the Chairman of the ITF Technical Committee due to the pandemic could not travel from Argentina to Poland and was therefore joining the seminar via Zoom application.
The seminar was conducted in person by GM Ung Kim Lan, the Member of Technical Committee and Master Jerzy Jedut – the Member of the Technical Committee and the President of Polish Taekwon-Do Association.
The Technical Committee was supported by Sbn. Leo Oros Duek – ITF Treasurer and the Chair of ITF Inclusion Committee who made on Saturday the presentation about the Taekwon-Do Adapted. The presentation was very much received and PTA intends to organize an International Adapted Course in the near future in Poland. At the end of the presentation Sbn. Oros Duek handed to the presidents of the federations participating in the IIC the book “Adapted Taekwon-Do Instructor’s Guide.”
GM Paul Weiler – ITF President also gave on Sunday a lecture and conducted the session on the stabilization exercises.
In the seminar present was also as a special guest GM Willem Jacob Bos – current Member of ITF Asia Development Team and Technical Director of Italian Taekwon-Do Federation FITAE-ITF, Former ITF Board Director.
“We are extremely happy that the first IIC after such a long break can happen here in my home city- Lublin” – said to the participants Master Tadeusz Loboda – Chair of the Organizing Committee, the Vice-President of Polish Taekwon-Do Association and the Secretary General of International Taekwon-Do Federation.
On Saturday morning Mrs. Beata Stepaniuk-Kuśmierzak, the Deputy Mayor of Lublin visited seminar and welcomed all participants. She awarded Master Tadeusz Łoboda with Medal for “Merit to the City of Lublin” for his merits in promoting sports among the inhabitants of Lublin, as well as activities for the benefit of sports and the promotion of Lublin in the country and abroad. Mrs. President also presented a similar medal to Mr. Wiesław Pawłat, a well-known long life sports journalist, friend of our federation. His daughter dr hab. inż. Joanna Pawłat, prof. at Lublin University of Technology, coming from the martial arts community (I Dan Aikido) considered as very active ambassador of Lublin around the world, received the Medal of the President of the City of Lublin.
The President Stepaniuk-Kuśmierzak was impressed by the seminar and in the conversations has paid a lot of attention to the Adapted program.
On Saturday evening there was an official banquet in the Restaurant “City Legends”. Everyone was having a good time at the plentifully set tables having the opportunity to test traditional Polish flavours.
The last day of the seminar started early in the morning on Sunday with a masters’ degree. The examination panel included GM Paul Weiler and GM Ung Kim Lan promoted following instructors:
to 7th Degree Master:
Mr. Leonardo Oros Duek from Israel,
Mr. Kent-Tore Skagen from Norway,
Mr. Jacek Wachala from Poland,
to 6th Degree:
Mr. Andrii Manzhula from Ukraine.
The seminar included all important parts of Taekwon-Do: fundamental movements, patterns, step sparring, sparring, breaking and self defence.
At the end of the seminar, the lecturers received special gifts from Polish Taekwon-Do Association and the participants received certificates issued by International Taekwon-Do Federation.
The seminar traditionally ended with a group photo and a photo session.
We hope that the participants thoroughly enjoyed their experience during the time in Lublin and we sincerely hope that the 149th International Instructor Course will remain well remembered by the attendees and will contribute to their return visit to Lublin, the City of Inspiration.
The next International Instructor Course should be held on December 10th – 12th, 2021 in Andorra La Vella, Andorra.
Ph: Waldemar Dolecki
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