The World Martial Arts Union has been re-accredited as an international non-governmental organization (NGO) recognized by UNESCO at the 18th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, held in Kasane, Botswana. Initially accredited in 2010, the World Martial Arts Union is among the 217 UNESCO-accredited NGOs to have received re-accreditation at this session.

[Chungnam Ilbo] WoMAU, Re-Accreditation as a UNESCO Recognized NGO

WoMAU, Re-Accreditation as a UNESCO Recognized NGO

[Chungnam Ilbo Reporter Ki-wook Seong]

The World Martial Arts Union has been re-accredited as an international non-governmental organization (NGO) recognized by UNESCO at the 18th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (hereafter referred to as the Committee), held in Kasane, Botswana. Since its initial accreditation in 2010, 217 UNESCO NGOs have been accredited, and at this session, 91 were up for re-accreditation. Among these, 80 NGOs, including the World Martial Arts Union, the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation, and the International Mask Arts & Culture Organization, were re-accredited, while the remaining 11 lost their status due to insufficient qualifications.

The Committee reviews the activities of NGOs every four years to determine their re-accreditation status.

Through this re-accreditation, the World Martial Arts Union can continue to provide advisory services to UNESCO in the field of martial arts. It plans to enhance the intangible cultural heritage value and recognition of martial arts through various projects in collaboration with member martial arts organizations and their respective governments.

Additionally, the Association of Upper Egypt for Education and Development, a full member of the World Martial Arts Union since 2019, which is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the traditional Egyptian martial art of Tahtib, has been approved as a new NGO.

Min Gyeong-chang, the Secretary-General of the World Martial Arts Union, stated, “We greatly celebrate the advisory NGO status achieved by our Egyptian member organization and will continue to strive to become a more leading and exemplary international NGO in the global community alongside our member organizations.”

Source: Chungnam Ilbo (http://www.chungnamilbo.co.kr)