International Do Course Report November 25

The 16th ITF International Do Course (IDC) was held online on 2 and 16 November 2025. It consisted of four 3-hour sessions over two days for a total of 12 hours. It was conducted in English by the Do and Ethics Committee, which included Committee Chair Master Janel Gauthier (Canada) and, in alphabetical order, Grand Master Abelardo Benzaquén (Argentina), Master Andreu Martínez (Spain), and Master Joliette Trân (Canada). Master Mikko Allinniemi, 8th-degree black belt from Finland, was an invited speaker on Day 2 of the IDC.

This IDC, the largest ever, was formally opened by the President of the ITF, Grand Master Paul Weiler. It brought together 249 registered participants from 30 countries, namely (in alphabetical order): Argentina (37), Australia (2), Belgium (2), Bolivia (1), Bosnia & Herzegovina (3), Brazil (2), Canada (16), China (2), Dominican Republic (1), England (45), France (1), Germany (12), Guatemala (1), India (4), Ireland (24), Jamaica (6), Kazakhstan (1), Mozambique (2), Netherlands (7), New Zealand (13), Norway (2), Poland (9), Romania (9), Scotland (16), Spain (4), Sweden (7), Ukraine (10), United States (9), Uruguay (3), and Wales (7). Among them were 10 Masters, including 3 with an 8th-degree black belt (namely, Master Michael Barker from Canada, Master Jamie Campins from Scotland, and Master Mark Hutton also from Scotland); and 123 Instructors, including 24 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:

the moral culture of Taekwon-Do;
the origin and meaning of the word “Do”;
the tenets of Taekwon-Do (courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, and indomitable spirit);
the Student’s Oath;
the development of moral reasoning from childhood to adult;
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;
ethical decision-making and how to resolve moral dilemmas;
motivation and perseverance;
humility;
loyalty and respect; and
the integration of the teaching of Do into the teaching of Taekwon-Do (general guidelines and tips).

A wide range of activities was 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. 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.

The highlight of the 16th IDC was arguably the lecture delivered by Master Mikko Allinniemi on Day 2 of the IDC. It was highly informative and profoundly inspiring. In his presentation, titled “Teaching the Do to Improve Performance: How Moral Discipline and Inner Strength Develop Precision, Power and Presence,” he spoke about his lifelong journey in teaching Taekwon-Do as envisioned by General Choi Hong Hi – including the lessons he had learned, the mistakes he had made, the challenges he had met, and the insights he had gained walking the path of the Do. The objectives of his lecture were two-fold: (a) to explain how he combines the Do with technical instruction in Taekwon-Do and how the practice of the Do helps improve performance; and (b) to highlight the wider benefits of integrating the teaching of the Do in the teaching of Taekwon-Do.

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 waiting period to be eligible for testing.

The schedule for the IDCs to be conducted online in 2026 will be released soon. 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