UNESCO ICM and UNESCO Bangkok Team Up for International Martial Arts Seminar

UNESCO and its affiliate, the International Centre of Martial Arts (UNESCO ICM), will hold the 2023 International Martial Arts Seminar on the theme, ‘Enhancing Martial Arts Policy for Youth Development’, at UNESCO ICM headquarters, in Chungju, Republic of Korea, from 14 to 15 November 2023. 

This year’s Martial Arts Seminar will offer a platform for experts and other stakeholders to collaborate, share knowledge and collectively contribute to informed policy-making and effective youth development initiatives using martial arts. The findings and outcomes of this seminar will act as a foundation to facilitate policy, strategic direction, and resource allocation for global martial arts policy-makers in considering the potential contributions of martial arts to youth development.

With their rich cultural heritage and history of promoting core values such as peace, respect and discipline, the martial arts have the potential to play a transformative role in the development of youth worldwide. There is a growing interest in harnessing martial arts as a tool for youth development, integrating it into policy frameworks that empower young individuals to thrive in today’s rapidly changing world.

As the lead UN agency for sport and physical education, UNESCO advocates the power of sport—and specific sports such as martial arts—for enhancing many kinds of development, including the achievement by 2030 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and positive youth development both regionally and globally. UNESCO’s focus on the intersection of sport and youth development is best demonstrated through Fit for Life, UNESCO’s flagship sport-for-development initiative, where youth will play a key role.

While the intersection of sport and youth development is important, the existing landscape reveals a shortage of evidence-based insights and comprehensive policies that effectively leverage martial arts for youth development. This shortage of empirical insights highlights a critical gap in knowledge, hindering the formulation of effective, evidence-based policies that can harness martial arts in fostering the positive development of young individuals. 

The objectives of the seminar are to: 

1. Share good practices on establishing effective martial arts policy and elaborating evidence-based insights on martial arts and positive youth development
2. Establish a roadmap for future academic seminars and capacity-building initiatives based on needs outlined by the participants
3. Determine a path forward for ICM’s collaboration with UNESCO in positive youth development

The expected outcomes of the seminar are the following:

1. Knowledge Foundation for policy establishment for martial arts stakeholders
2. Preliminary Plan for the topics and formats of future academic seminars
3. Engagement Pathway for ICM and UNESCO

This event will be live-streamed on UNESCO ICM's YouTube channel. 

For reference purposes, please see the Provisional Agenda*.

_{* This document will be available online for three months after the event announcement was first published. To access the document after that, please write to shs.bgk(at)unesco.org.}

This is an invitation-only, closed-door event, but for further information, or to explore future collaboration with UNESCO in its sport and youth development initiatives, kindly contact:

Dr Kim Encel, International Consultant, Social and Human Sciences Unit, UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok: kj.encel(at)unesco.org and please copy shs.bgk(at)unesco.org.

#YouthEmpowerment #SportForDevelopment