The 17th ITF International Do Course (IDC) was held online on 1 and 15 March 2026. It consisted of four 3-hour sessions over two days, totaling 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). For the very first time, a Zoom feature designed to provide real-time translation of spoken content into captions in different languages was enabled and used during the IDC to help participants follow along even if they do not understand the spoken language. The translated captions may not always be as accurate as one would like, especially with accents and technical jargon, but the quality of the translation has been steadily improving and will continue to do so with the help of artificial intelligence.
This IDC brought together 238 registered participants from 37 countries, namely (in alphabetical order): Albania (1), Argentina (2), Belgium (1), Bosnia & Herzegovina (5), Brazil (1), Canada (17), Croatia (1), Cyprus (2), Czech Republic (3), England (5), Finland (3), France (3), Gambia (1), Germany (3), Greece (1), Hungary (26), Ireland (15), Italy (3), Jamaica (1), Malaysia (29, Moldova (11), Morocco (1), Netherlands (4), New Zealand (5), Norway (17), Poland (10), Romania (7), Scotland (1), Serbia (6), Slovakia (3), Sweden (8), Switzerland (1), Trinidad & Tobago (9), Tunisia (1), Ukraine (23), United States (5), and Wales (1). Among them were 9 Masters, including 2 with an 8th-degree black belt (namely, in alphabetical order, Master Ciro Cammarota from Italy, and Master Niklas Enander from Sweden); and 101 Instructors, including 6 with a 6th-degree black belt. Participants also included the Chair of the ITF Merger Committee (Master Gustavo Livon, Brazil), the Chair of the ITF Business & Marketing Committee (Sbn. Ryan Rampair, Trinidad & Tobago), and the Leader of the ITF Africa Development Team (Master Niklas Enander, Sweden).
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; and
(9) the integration of the teaching of Do into the teaching of Taekwon-Do (general guidelines and tips).
Those who had already participated in at least one IDC were invited to attend two special 90-minute sessions during the course. These sessions were held in separate virtual meeting rooms at the same time as the other participants were attending the regular IDC program in another room. The first special session was held on Day 1 of the IDC and was designed to reflect on the concept of humility in Taekwon-Do; the second one was held on Day 2 of the IDC and aimed to reflect on the concepts of loyalty and respect.
A wide range of activities was used to capture and maintain participants’ attention throughout the day (and for some, throughout the night). 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. A few days before the opening of the IDC, participants were given a link to a web page where they could download a PDF copy of the document showing the slides that would be presented during the course.
Since the 1st of April 2025, ITF members who wish to apply for promotion to 4th degree black belt and above are required to attend at least one IDC during their preparation period to be eligible for testing. The next online IDC will be held on 19 April and 3 May 2026 and will be conducted in Spanish. Another online IDC in English is planned for November 2026. The information regarding the forthcoming online IDCs is posted on the ITF website at https://itftkd.sport/events/category/international-do-course/
Yours in Taekwon-Do,
Master Janel Gauthier, Prof. Dr.
Chair of the Do and Ethics Committee
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