05 ICM 2021 ANNUAL REPORT Forward 2021 04 ICM 2021 ANNUAL REPORT The 2021 ICM Annual Report about the details of the journey and progress made by ICM in 2021 as well as the valuable lessons learned over the course of the year has been published. Looking back, the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic has been a global health crisis which has had a great impact on every aspect of human life - including on the economy, society and the environment. In particular, children and youth who will go on to be the next generation's leaders have had to forgo their socialization with their peers and switch their learning to online classes. This has hampered their physical development and increased social isolation. ICM has conducted diverse martial arts projects based around physical contact and human interaction. However, as the pandemic persisted longer than expected, the center was faced with multiple obstacles in achieving its goals. In the face of such unfortunate circumstances, ICM has made an allout effort to accomplish its given missions. In this way, it was able to make new achievements and continuously learn lessons in seeking new opportunities and finding new possibilities. ICM projects that had to be changed or canceled in 2020 due to the coronavirus were conducted online in 2021 through effective digitalization. By integrating online and in-person methods and maximizing their unique advantages, ICM saw its overall project efficiency improve, including in the Martial Arts Research Initiative for Experts (MARIE), the ICM International Martial Arts Academic Seminar, the International Youth Online Martial Arts Camp (IYMAC) and the UNESCO ICM Martial Arts Demonstration Team. It is particularly noteworthy that the UNESCO ICM Martial Arts Demonstration Team has been leading the promotion of ICM and martial arts by developing unique online content on global martial arts. Despite the spread of the coronavirus, ICM has been perseverant in connecting developed and developing countries through martial arts and is helping to make a world where no one is left behind. It successfully held the 5th Martial Arts Open School (MAOS) and provided face-to-face martial arts education in accordance with COVID-19 prevention guidelines to young people and women living in five developing countries. Furthermore, by holding the 4th African Martial Arts Conference online, ICM improved awareness of African martial arts and forged global partnerships with countries across the African continent, which has been defined by UNESCO as a priority region in the implementation of its mandate. In its publications, ICM has employed a dual-track strategy where baseline and in-depth research are conducted in coordination so that the field of martial arts is more systematically explored. In 2021, the baseline research report World Martial Arts: Towards a Global Overview and the first edition of the in-depth research report Southeast Asian Martial Arts: A Unique and Complex Cultural Phenomenon were released. These lay a foundation for ICM to play a pivotal role in carrying out studies on martial arts. Despite COVID-19-induced adversities, by newly establishing an award system and awarding martial arts educators, ICM identified best practices that brought about positive changes in society through martial arts education and it took a central role in improving the public?s awareness of the educational values of martial arts. Furthermore, through the 2021 ICM International Martial Arts Photo Contest, ICM helped to rejuvenate the martial arts and art industries which had both been heavily impacted by the pandemic. Through exhibitions of the award-winning pictures, it demonstrated the diversity and spirit of martial arts to the wider public. Even amid the prolonged spread of the pandemic, ICM has continuously made contributions toward achieving sustainable development and spreading the educational and social values of martial arts. In this journey, the center made substantial progress. This was possible thanks to cooperation with domestic and international partners as well as the ICM family members who spared no effort in conducting projects with new methodology. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to everyone. I am certain that the lessons ICM learned through new experimentation in the implementation of projects in rapidly changing and unforeseeable circumstances will be a valuable asset for the growth of the center. With such an asset, ICM will continue to make efforts into pursuing innovation in project operation methods and expanding the scope of projects by closely working with various domestic and international organizations. I ask for your continued support and interest in growing ICM?s stature as not only a domestically but also a globally renowned martial arts institution. Thank you. Implementing a variety of projects during a tumultuous global landscape in 2021, ICM has learned valuable lessons through trial and error. Taking those lessons to heart, it will strive to become a globally renowned martial arts center. PARK Changhyun UNESCO ICM Secretary-General
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