"Peaceful Champions" Violent Prevention and Character Development through traditional Karatedo This is a program that the Kokusai Koryu Gojukai Karatedo is engaged with during the year and every summer we hold a special camp for over 300 students. The program utilizes the curriculum of traditional Karatedo for peace and cognitive behavior therapy. The program involves the physical discipline of Karatedo, mental self-defense and peaceful conflict resolution. This combination with clinical interventions such as group education, anger management training, communication skill building and family support and guidedance will assist students to improve their social skills, communications skills, and reduce conflicts with peers and adults. Karatedo has an enormously creative potential for teaching young people to resolve conflict peacefully and create fine moral character. Humanity is crying out for help in these troubled times, and Karatedo can be an intelligent and effective way to prepare our children to cope with today's challenges. To meet these urgent personal and social challenges of increased violence and the deterioration of ethical values, we need a different education beyond the teaching of academics, one that can teach our children the skills to resolve conflict and build character. The peaceful champions program can be this education for peace and social understanding. Karate for Peace can teach the virtues of compassion, love, wisdom and respect and the fine qualities that build a strong and honorable character in young people so that they may contribute to creating a more peaceful and gentler world. The original martial arts of peace that became, over time, the arts of war have paradoxically the transformative potential to again be peaceful and healing arts but only with the right vision and the right means to carry out this vision. This is what it means:
"It means being a part of something that helps to instill both physical and social values which will benefit those involved as they go though life."
"Enjoying physical activity in a clean, controlled environment, while learning new discipline"
"Learning and obtaining self-discipline"
"Being Peaceful Warrior means I'm a part of a family & friends, in which I respect and cherish each relationship. It means I'm proud of being in an organization of great people, where each person can learn from the next. It means Words can't express the pride that the student feels every time they walk into the Dojo, knowing that they are surrounded by friends that are willing to guide & help them through life's grand journey. It's wonderful to be a part of an organization that puts the students first & gives us tremendous opportunities to grow & expand their knowledge.