21st International Harmony Course (IHC) was successfully held in Ylöjärvi, Finland, during the weekend of October 25–26, 2025. The course was organized by the local club Taekwon-Do Center in cooperation with ITF Taekwon-Do Finland, in conjunction with the International Taekwon-Do Federation. It was conducted by the Chair of the ITF Harmony Committee, Master Gastón Casero, 7th Degree.
The goal of the International Harmony Course is to introduce the Harmony Program, which was created by Master Casero in collaboration with the late Grand Master Pablo Trajtenberg, 9th Degree. The program is designed to support the teaching of Taekwon-Do to older adults within a healthy framework, using age-appropriate methods and approaches.
This edition of the International Harmony Course was open to all ITF members from blue belt to black belt. It is intended for individuals who teach or assist with Taekwon-Do classes in their clubs, or who are interested in doing so in the future.
The event took place at Taekwon-Do Center’s dojang in Ylöjärvi, located just 15 minutes from Tampere – a city many remember from the 2023 World Championships. The course gathered 13 participants from various clubs across Finland, as well as one international guest from Ireland. 4 members of the Taekwon-Do Center harmony group also participated in the course.
The Harmony program is still a relatively new concept in Finland, but Taekwon-Do Center can already be considered as a national pioneer in teaching Taekwon-Do to older adults. Among the participants was Boosabumnim Salme Nummela, who gained international fame in 2022 by earning her 1st Dan at the age of 82. The course also received support from color belt practitioners from Taekwon-Do Center’s own Harmony group.
Saturday, the first day of the event started with an introduction to the Harmony program, its goals and benefits. Very soon the participants already experimented with a wide range of exercises for space awareness, balance, socialization, reaction, memory and many more important skills which support the health of older adults. Saturday’s session ended with a refreshing Finnish tradition: a smoke sauna and swimming in a cold lake. Especially for foreign visitors on a dark evening, this is an unforgettable experience. The sauna and cold lake activate the parasympathetic nervous system, allowing the sympathetic nervous system, which has been stimulated during the day, to rest.
Sunday was packed with exercises designed for improving older adults’ coordination, balance, endurance and power. It included more exercises which combined the physical exercise with memory. Participants could feel their brain light up during the fun but challenging drills. A fitness test for seniors was done by participants to demonstrate how to follow up progress. An important part of the course was sharing the experiences of participants, focusing on the students from the local Harmony class who gave feedback on the exercises and shared their journey in Taekwon-Do.
Text: Ari Kairala, Tarja Korhonen
Photos: Markku Rantanen
Union Marocaine of Taekwon-Do Umpire Course
