Greetings from Takeshi Shibata, President of the International Kyudo Federation
I would like to present my heartfelt thanks to all the Kyudo friends who have come, mainly from Europe, to participate today in this Kyudo Koryu Enbukai held in celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the International Kyudo Federation.
As you know, Kyudo which is part of Japanese traditional culture, really achieved its internationalization with the establishment of the International Kyudo Federation in 2006, allowing us to organize the 1st World Kyudo Taikai in Tokyo in 2010.
Thanks to its international development, Kyudo is now practised by over 4,500 Kyudo enthusiasts in more than 40 countries, regardless of whether they are affiliated to the IKYF or not, for the most part in Europe, America, Asia-Oceania, and more recently in Eastern Europe, South America and on the African continent.
This shows that Kyudo and the spirit of Budo have been largely recognized all over the world and I am delighted about that.
It is in this context that we celebrate this year the 10th Anniversary of the IKYF, and it is the greatest honour to hold this ceremony in the Netherlands in the presence of Her Imperial Highness Princess Hisako of Takamado.
In addition to participating in the Enbukai, you have a chance here to experience the Netherlands through their arts and history. Of course, I expect to see a great performance from all the participants in the Enbukai, but I also hope you will use this opportunity to get to know more about the culture and history of the Netherlands, to deepen your insight by exchanging with practitioners from other countries and thereby contribute to international friendship.
