The first-ever online GCS Workshop was hosted by GCS President Dr. Chungwon Choue, who also serves as president of World Taekwondo and the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation. Among the 35 participating countries were five African countries – Cameroon, Malawi, Tunisia, Rwanda and Libya – and three European countries – Belgium, Denmark and the United Kingdom – and one Oceania country of Australia.
A total of 14 Asian countries attended the workshop: Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Syria, Thailand and Uzbekistan, while 12 Pan American countries – Argentina, Aruba, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Curacao, Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and the United States – participated in the workshop.
“The continued, unprecedented and challenging COVID-19 situation gives mankind wisdom to change crisis into opportunity. In this regard, I am pleased to welcome you all to the first-ever GCS Virtual Workshop. Through this workshop, we can share our activities and ideas on how to shape the post-COVID world with our GCS values – goodwill, cooperation and service,” said GCS President Dr. Choue in his welcome message.
De. Selma Li, President of Portland Chapter said that there will be a GCS World Virtual Taekwondo Festival, which will take place on Oct. 10-11 and Oct. 17-18, 2020, together with GCS International.
With the support of GCS Portland, GCS International had the historic COVID-19 GCS Virtual International Taekwondo Championships on June 4-7, with the attendance of some 20 GCS national chapters.
A total of 9 GCS chapters made presentations on their respective GCS chapter activities at the workshop. They were, in the order of presentation, Colombia, Nepal, Guatemala, Denmark, Portland, USA, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Haiti and Costa Rica.
Ms. Lisa Lents, who serves as the chairwoman of the Danish Taekwondo Federation’s Humanitarian Committee and a board member of the Danish Taekwondo Federation, said “In cooperation with GCS International and WT Europe, we are holding the Lents Taekwondo Worldwide Sports Online Open 2020 – Sept. 5-6 for para poomsae & 1st online beach poomsae competition, Sept. 12-13 and 19-20 for poomsae, and Sept. 26-27 for freestyle poomsae competition. “Proceeds from the online events will be used to support WT Cares Cambodia projects.”
GCS Portland proposed a regular online GCS education for GCS members worldwide. As early as in October this year, the first GCS Virtual Education will begin.
Ms. María Borello President of the Guatemala GCS Chapter presented the ongoing projects in the country, which included support by sending medical and hygiene supplies to all National Taekwondo Associations. Besides, Guatemala Taekwondo Federation will hold the National Online Championships free of charge to all the participants. Also part of the projects are to help athletes that were out of the country for different reasons, to come back to the country so they can be reunited with their families.
In the other hand Raúl Pinzón, President of Colombia Chapter, said that GCS Colombia is supporting a soccer team made up of children of former FARC members, ex-military and displaced people by violence, in a football soccer championship called REVANCH FÚTBOL 11, also supporting a group of 18 kids from local farmers, to can enjoy Taekwondo and support their families, among other projects of the South American country.
Dr. Choue said, “I think taekwondo can be an effective tool to help promote the GCS Movement in these COVID-19 times. In these COVID times, we connect more online and stay safe and healthy.”
