This Monday, April 25, 2022, marked the beginning of a week of the Kumite Seminar with the legendary Christophe Pinna. It was quite an eventful day from different perspectives, especially with the beginning of the first-ever JKA-RWANDA Kumite seminar. Different people attended the event including the French Ambassador,
The president of the Rwanda National Olympic and Sports Committee (RNOSC) & Rwanda Karate Federation (FERWAKA), the leaders of different Rwandan Karate clubs, and many young and aspiring Karate masters.
The day started with a visit Mr. Pinna paid to the French ambassador, Antoine Anfré. This visit was meant to be a warm welcome to the country of a thousand hills. In his speech later on, the French ambassador insisted on how impressed he was with the Rwandan Karate Federation and with the Rwandan sports in general. He also mentioned how impressive it is to be working with Christophe Pinna a multi-time World Champion and a six-time European Champion.
After the visit to the ambassador, Mr. Pinna visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial. During his tour, he was taken through the history of the genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi in Rwanda in 1994. His visit there ended with a tribute to the victims laid to rest there.
In the evening is when the technical training was introduced. The official opening ceremony was led by speeches from the chairman and the chief instructor of JKA Rwanda followed by a group photo with Mr. Pinna and some of the leaders of different Karate clubs in Rwanda. The training was comprised of many young masters learning new techniques from the trainer, Mr. Pinna.
Mr. Pinna expressing his thoughts on the training showed that Karate is not only his profession but that it was his passion too. He explained that he is sharing his technical experience and sharing inspiration, “Playing a sport you love with a champion affects young players psychologically. It spikes inspiration to improve themselves”.
This is a point that was also raised by the president of the Rwanda National Olympic and Sports Committee (RNOSC) & Rwanda Karate Federation, Mr. Theo Uwayo, and the chief instructor of JKA Rwanda Mr. Rurangayire Guy Didier. The president of the federation insisted on the importance of a person as important as Pinna to be in Rwanda before a large group of young Rwandan Karate players.
This training that will take place for a whole week is also a very special occasion since it is the only one Mr. Pinna will do in Africa this year.
