CONGRESS WTTSDU PANAMÁ

By SBN Edgar Quiroz

Panama City was the venue for the First International Congress of the World Traditional Tang Soo Do Union Panama - 2022, the first event held in person by this organization at the international level, after the pandemic began. This event was held on October 28, 29 and 30 at the prestigious Hotel Central Park and Casino in Panama City, located in the El Dorado area.

Teachers from the United States, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico and Panama participated. This activity was led by the president and founder of the World Traditional Tang Soo Do Union, Grandmaster Patricio Saavedra, 8th Dan in Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan. It is important to note that one of the main objectives of this organization is to transmit the Korean Traditional Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan, reinforce pedagogy, the correct teaching of Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan techniques and update its members regarding the changing , evolutionary and diversified world of Martial Arts. On this occasion we had the great opportunity to organize this event together with Kyo Sa Nim Eloy Tapia (Tang Soo Do Spirit), myself Edgar Quiroz (Tang Soo Do School Panama) and the important help of my wife Jessica Carmona, since was an important pillar for the congress to achieve the success obtained, in addition to the collaboration of Yady Loaiza, a sales executive at the Hotel Central and Casino. The Congress was held in a punctual, orderly manner and following the schedule of activities already established, under an atmosphere of camaraderie, simplicity and humility of all the participants and especially of the Masters, an attitude that is an evident reflection of our leader, the Grand Master. Patrick Saavedra. During the Congress, already acquired knowledge was reinforced and we learned very important topics of Tang Soo Do, among them: physical techniques, philosophical aspects and teaching methodologies, where KJN Patricio taught the correct use of external force and internal force during the execution. of the techniques, also the use of weapons (kali, bong, nunchaku, fan), Methodology of teaching Acrobatics in Martial Arts, and traditional forms. The KJN Patricio Saavedra explains the importance of the correct teaching pedagogy for martial arts within our organization in a professional, structured and methodical manner During the morning sessions on Saturday, October 29, the focus was on reviewing and updating Traditional Tang Soo Do techniques for all school students, including

children, adolescents, and adults. He also taught the use of different Traditional Tang Soo Do and nontraditional weapons, among these, Sabonim Mary Cayte (4th Dan) taught the handling of a Kali (Short Stick) to students and double Kali to instructors. The management of a Nuchaco to the students was dictated by the experienced Sabonim Melisa Mulet (4th Dan). The use of the fan as weapons and the use of the bong (long stick) was dictated by the KJN Patricio, who also taught an interesting combat system and techniques to the Gup students. On Saturday afternoon, we had one of the most appreciated, striking and complex seminars, advanced weapons or better known in (USA) as extreme weapons, where two weapons of the same type are used simultaneously, where the KJN Patricio Saavedra, he taught and demonstrated the use of two Bongs and also the two Nunchakus.

In this congress there was a small demonstration of our school Tang Soo Do School Panama of acrobatics and a seminar Workshop on the Methodology of teaching acrobatics for Martial Arts for instructors. Here it was demonstrated with the help of my students, the fusion of Gymnastics and Tang Soo Do, since they are disciplines that I have practiced and taught for many years and for the year 2000 I was selected for Tang Soo Do and Men's Artistic Gymnastics of Panama , simultaneously. In 2002 I retired as a gymnast from competitions as National Sub Champion in all apparatus, in the Elite Men's Category, what I want to point out with this reference is that this type of discipline should not be improvised and should be guided by professionals. who are dedicated to the correct teaching of Martial Arts and Acrobatics. We hope that in the near future the Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan, manages to have in the vast majority of its schools, the teaching of Acrobatics within its curriculum, as a way to disseminate, improve and enhance the physical abilities of its exponents of safe, fun and dynamic way.

Saturday ended with a pleasant gala dinner attended by instructors, parents and the guest of honor, Shihan Edith Martinez, a Karate Teacher with a long history in Martial Arts in Panama and internationally, who also accompanied us during part of the Congress with some of his advanced students. At this dinner, the Masters were recognized for their dedication in teaching Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan, also this year, the Kokoro Prize was awarded for the first time, the highest distinction. This was given to Master Melisa Mulet of the Argentine Republic, a recognized Master with a great career in Martial Arts.

Before finishing the dinner, it was announced where the next international congress of the World Traditional Tang Soo Do Union and Tournament will be, with our sister country Colombia being the winner by vote, where our friend Kyo Sa Nim Oscar Gonzalez will be the host of this great event to be held in November 2023, in Bogota, Colombia.