Our Philosophy
Sports for Peace foundation uses sports (martial arts and bodybuilding) as grounds to promote conflict mitigation, peace & non-violence among youth. Sports for Peace is a unique center because it not only teaches the physical aspect of a given sport, but also concentrates on moral values.
We aim at developing the total martial artist. By total martial artist we mean an ethical warrior with strong self defense techniques who has mastered his body, mind, and spirit as follows:
- Body: Strong physically, healthy and free from drugs and other substances.
- Mind: Strong tempered, determined, confident, practical, and open minded to different ways and people.
- Spirit: Peaceful (wishes no harm to anyone or anything), calm, benevolent, generous, and compassionate.
Brotherhood of Athletes:
In the Martial Arts community for example; regardless of race, ethnic background, and religion, all Martial Artists are considered family. If you practice any form of self-defense, you are a family member of the Martial Arts community. This can be used as a connector to others of different faiths and backgrounds. Grand Master Al Dacascos visited our center in May 2005.
He conducted training seminars and conferences for one week. He was loved and respected by all members of the center. For many people, this was a lifetime experience. Sports For Peace seeks to bring instructors from abroad regularly to contribute to a great learning experience for the local youth as well as a rich experience for visiting instructors and colleagues.
"The Art of Fighting without Fighting" strategy.
When dealing with any conflict, person's first enemy is within... his own self (pride, arrogance, or low self-esteem). If a person resists and refrains from committing physical offence he has conquered his body, mind and spirit and has won the internal battle. This allows the person to be centered and grounded enough to find (peaceful) solutions to any conflict.
Social Responsibility.
Students are assigned projects to help those less fortunate. For example, some of the past projects were installing electricity in a house for a poor family; donated money for surgical operations for poor individuals. In addition, blood donation is a requirement for the students of the center. Lectures are taught on social responsibility and making a positive impact in our society.
Education.
We encourage students to continue their formal education. We have been the driving force behind few high-school drop outs to return to school. Furthermore, advice is offered on what field of study to choose or what skills (English, Computer etc) to learn.