It is my pleasure to say a few words to you on the occasion of the 14th Shotokan Karate-Do International Federation World Championships.
First of all, I would like to apologize that due to pandemic for the cancellation of the 2022 World Championships, which were going to be held Japan. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone from SKIF Hungary for their understanding and amazing ability to take the action necessary to make this 14th World Championships tournament possible.
Our world has changed dramatically over the past few years. We have distanced ourselves from others and have experienced loneliness. But as a result, the passion of our members for Karate-do has increased more than before, and we have received positive feedbacks from so many of you who have been looking forward to this event.
I would like to believe that this is because we feel joy and we grow by living with one another.
At its essence, Karate-do is a battle with oneself. It makes us look inside and improve ourselves. But it is only when there are others we train with, who we understand and compete with, and strive to make each other better, these clear goals are born and we are able to grow faster. It is why it was important for us to hold this tournament so the SKI family could reunite and work hard to make it a success.
The success of this tournament is possible through everyone’s help, including the participants, the referees, the officials, the organizers, and the supporters. I hope that we all understand this and can be considerate, respectful, and supportive of each other.
This, of course, is the “harmony” that we learned from Soke.
Although we have not solved all of the world’s problems, we must continue to make progress with hope for the future.
In closing, I would like to express my hope for this tournament to be a meaningful step forward for all of you and toward a bright future for SKIF.
OSS
Kancho Nobuaki Kanazawa