"Unveiling the Thrills and Triumphs of My 2023 Global Youth Martial Arts Academy at UNESCO-ICM (2023 ICM GYMAA)"

 Himalaya Subedi (Nepal) and Yujeong SONG (South Korea)

My name is Yujeong Song and I participated as a Korean buddy in the 2023 ICM GYMAA. I graduated from a secondary school in Uzbekistan, and I still remember the day when one of

my Uzbek friends asked me about Taekkyeon. Frankly, back then my knowledge on the Korean martial arts was very limited. That was the moment I felt a little ashamed of myself that I couldn’t even explain the tradition of my country. It has already been 3 years, yet this memory was enough to make me immediately apply to this programme when I read the notice by UNESCO-ICM. I never regret applying and that it was a great luck for me as part of the academy. During the academy I did various activities which I never knew before covering Korean martial arts, culture and other  traditions. I learned deeply that fostering sports is one of the straightest ways to connect people from diverse cultural backgrounds all together so as martial arts have strong power to bridge the participants. This academy at UNESCO-ICM has given me a strong impression of martial arts and traditions. The participants built unforgettable memories and friendships with each other and that opened my sight as a global citizen. I highly recommend anyone who is interested in martial arts to participate in the UNESCO-ICM programmes.   

I am Himalaya Subedi from Nepal. Nepalese are renowned for their bravery worldwide, excelling in various physical pursuits such as fighting, climbing hills, running, and jumping, which are ingrained in the Nepalese culture. Sports are my hobby. I used to play Sitorio Karate along with other indoor and outdoor sports with objective to stay physically active during my school and  university years. I found sports help to relaxing and stress-relieving. I often felt like I was flying through the sky after sweeting and sport activities. However, I never realized that martial arts could contribute to mental well-being as well as physical health. Basic steps of martial arts often begin in my childhood, yet they often go unnoticed as part of martial arts. Deliberate fights among friends during leisure time are common phenomena for school kids. However, despite having engaged in these activities for a long time, I never realized that they are all part of martial arts. I was thrilled to receive the acceptance notice for the 2023 ICM GYMAA as an international student. This opportunity not only allows me to expand my network but also provides a unique chance to immerse myself in Korean culture and tradition. The Academy has opened my eyes to the role of martial arts in promoting mental and physical well-being, at same time had an opportunity to cultural exchange among the thirty students from twelve nationalities.

The academy invited international students who were currently studying in Korea to take part in the event. We had the opportunity to participate in the 2023 ICM GYMAA from 22 to 26 August 2023. Out of 40 applicants, only 24 international students from 12 countries and 6 Korean "buddies" were selected to take parts in various knowledge-sharing lectures, martial arts rehearsals, and outdoor activities. The main objective of 2023 ICM GYMAA was establishing networks among the international and Korean students at the same time fostering concept of global citizenship through cultural exchange through by lecture, martial arts experience and site visits.

First day, after the opening and welcoming speech given by Mr KIM Gyujig, Secretary-General of UNESCO-ICM. The participants had the opportunity to join an icebreaking session led by Ms. JIN Hyangrae where we learned more about building self-trust, concentration, and peace through the body movement. In the following days, we practiced the basic steps of Korean martial arts "Taekkyeon" which was the first martial arts inscribed in the list of UNESCO intangible cultural heritage. Master PARK jongbo, Master LEE B and Master Theja Suranjan DUNUSINGHE  led the class. Importantly, we learned that martial arts are not only a physical exercise but also a mind control game, involving stepping your movements after focusing on the opponent's movements.

Additionally, the participants had a lecture about global citizenship education by Dr PARK Minjoung. The lecture was effective to understood the concept of global citizenship. Being a global citizen entails networking beyond our community, gaining knowledge about diverse cultures, and working for different communities. Similarly, Mr JEONG Yungseong, taught us about sports safeguarding which covers safety, discrimination, and harassment management in sports. We became aware of five different types of discrimination in sports with their reporting mechanism.

We had a couple of outdoor activities that were more exciting and helped establish connections among the international students. Buddies assisted international students in understanding Korean culture and traditions during field trips. Students had the opportunity to work in different groups while participating in Korean Kochujang (red chili paste) and Hangwa (Korean traditional confectionary) preparation. For most international participants, preparing Korean food items is an amazing experience. Pottery making and painting were also attractive events for us because some of us had never played with soil before.  The students made different shapes of pottery for the first time in our lives. At the same time, some participants visited fruit orchards to observe the clean orchard management activities in Chungju area.

Exploring Hwalok Cave was another thrilling activity during the 2023 ICM GYAA. Most importantly, all international students had the opportunity to learn about the history of the cave and the mining process inside. What was particularly fascinating is the chance to witness numerous business and recreational activities taking place inside the cave, which exceeded my expectations. This cave provided valuable information for researchers, students, children, and retirees alike. Though we spent about an hour and a half, it felt like much less. The cave felt more like a luxurious hotel, with a heating and cooling system allowing visitors to regulate their body temperature while exploring.

When we were out for horseback riding and archery in Goryeong, it was raining, but it could never stop us. Both horseback riding and archery were first-time experiences for me, and many international students enjoyed these activities. Mr Subedi recalls Ms WANG Can from China expressing her desire to ride the large horse named Floriya, initially assigned to male participants, due to its considerable height. As Mr Jahongir TURAEV had had experience in archery before this visit,  his focus remained unwavering, as he consistently hit his targets with precision. Mr Bhuvnesh Nayak, who won gold medal in Taekkyeon also participated in this event.

Students had idea challenge activities in groups, where different groups presented their ideas to increase the visibility of UNESCO-ICM. The first and second-place teams presented powerful UNESCO-ICM promotion digital applications. One team had an idea about digitizing the learning platform for Taekkyeon, while another team presented the digital documentation of UNESCO-ICM activities. The most exciting parts was the Best Friendship Awards and superlatives ceremony which international students casted their votes for various titles. Mr Subedi and Ms. Song were fortunate enough to receive different titles from his friends, including other students as listed below.

Best Friendship:

Vaishali Gupta (India), Himalaya Subedi (Nepal) and Nigorakhon Zafarbek qizi Adkhanova (Uzbekistan)

Superlatives title

Biggest Enthusiasm: Himalaya Subedi (Nepal)

Best Comedian: Himalaya Subedi (Nepal)

Best Food Fighter: Zhenyang Loo (Malaysia)

Biggest flirt: Nigorakhon Zafarbek qizi Adkhanova (Uzbekistan)

Best outfitter: Nigorakhon Zafarbek qizi Adkhanova (Uzbekistan)   

Best archer: Jahongir Turaev (Uzbekistan)

Best Smile: SONG Yujeong (South Korea)

Most likely to become a Taekkyeon Player: WANG Can (China) 

Mr Subedi remembers the evening gathering and the Mafia game in the hotel lobby. All other players all always singled me out, even when I insisted that I wasn't the mafia in the game, LoL. I had never played this game before. We would like to express our gratitude to Mr Sungsik Cho for managing the event so smoothly that nobody had any complaints. His skill of food selection for such diverse international students; managerial skills and understanding the mindset of youth during entire event were truly remarkable. We have much to learn about international event management from Mr Cho, and we always appreciate his kindness and hospitality.

At the end, we definitely had a great opportunity to build strong networks among Korean buddies and international students, while also gaining knowledge about multiple culture from diverse student, sports safety and concept of global citizenship education. We would like to express our deep gratitude once again to Mr Cho and UNESCO-ICM for this amazing experience. And we will always remember the spirit of martial arts learned during the camp and cherish the memories we had together. We also suggest international students to join future UNESCO-ICM activities if you get any opportunity. 

※ Views in this writing are the author's own.