International Taekwon‑Do Federation

ITF EB Members and NGB Representatives,

ITF Grand Masters, Masters, Instructors and Practitioners,

All Taekwon‑Do colleagues and related people,

Dear Members,

I, on behalf of the International Taekwon‑Do Federation, would like to extend my warm congratulations to all the Taekwon‑Doists and related people of the entire world on the specific occasion of the 65th Anniversary of Naming of Taekwon‑Do.

65 years ago on Apr.11th, 1955, Gen. Choi Hong Hi named the traditional martial art of Korea as “TAE KWON DO” on the basis of his painstaking study and made it public to the whole world.

During those periods, Taekwon‑Do which has a profound philosophy  associated with the 5000 year time-honored history and culture of Korea and is loved by and in the limelight of the entire humankind for its superior techniques based on the scientific theories and noble ideals aspiring after the righteous, peaceful and better world has developed to be a treasure common to the mankind, a crowning world-wide martial art.

With this day, all the Taekwon‑Doists, though with different languages, political views and religious faiths, have come to share a common birthday and form a global family aspiring after a righteous new world.

Availing myself of this opportunity, I, on behalf of the ITF and the IMGC, would like to express my sincere respect to Gen. Choi Hong Hi who founded and passed down Taekwon‑Do as a world legacy to the humankind, who devoted himself to the worldwide promotion of TKD and to the development of the ITF, thus making a remarkable contribution to the history of development of world martial arts.

Moreover, I would like to give my thanks to all the Taekwon‑Doists, family members and related people including Grand Masters, Masters, Instructors and practitioners who not only have devoted themselves but also are making positive contributions to the worldwide promotion of TKD.

Noble is the ideal of Taekwon‑Do and the Taekwon‑Doists contributing to the promotion of people’s health and to the building of the righteous, peaceful and new world.

We will strengthen the friendship, solidarity and collaboration with all the Taekwon‑Doists as well as the close cooperation with the International Sports & Martial-Art Organizations including the International Olympic Committee for the world peace and social progress.

And we’ll continue to fulfil our noble obligations for the growth, prosperity of the ITF along with the development of the world martial arts with the tenant of Taekwon‑Do; COURTESY, INTEGRITY, PERSEVERANCE, SELF-CONTROL, INDOMITABLE SPIRIT.

Sincerely yours

Prof. RI Yong Son

President

International Taekwon‑Do Federation &

International Martial Art Games Committee