Guardian Girls Karate Expands Across the Americas Following Successful Activities in Mexico City

The Guardian Girls Karate programme reached a major milestone in its global expansion after a highly successful series of activities held in Mexico City from June 12 to 15.

The event was highlighted by the Guardian Girls Karate Instructors’ Course Americas, which brought together 23 instructors from 17 countries across the continent. Participants attended an intensive training programme designed to provide the knowledge and tools needed to implement and expand the initiative in their home nations.

Representatives from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the United States and Venezuela took part in the seminar. As a result of the activity, 13 new countries joined the Guardian Girls Karate programme, significantly strengthening the initiative’s presence throughout the Americas and creating new opportunities for women and girls to benefit from its message and training.

The programme also included an open seminar for Mexican women, which attracted 146 participants of all ages. The strong attendance demonstrated the growing popularity of the initiative and highlighted the value of karate as a practical tool to help prevent gender-based violence through education, awareness and self-protection skills.

An official presentation of the programme was also held at the headquarters of the Mexican Olympic Committee in Mexico City. The event introduced the initiative to media representatives and sports officials and was led by PKF President and WKF First Vice President José García Maañón and Mexican Olympic Committee President María José Alcalá.

Also in attendance were Mexican Karate Federation President and WKF Executive Committee member Samantha Desciderio, Carolina Koyamada, co-founder of Guardian Girls International; and Mónica Irungaray, President of the PKF Women’s Commission and member of the WKF Women’s Commission.

The Guardian Girls Karate programme is the WKF’s initiative to help prevent gender-based violence through education, awareness and practical karate training. Through seminars, educational activities and instructor development, the programme empowers women and girls while promoting confidence, leadership and personal safety.

PKF President and WKF 1st Vice President José García Maañón said:

“Under the auspices of the WKF and the Mexican Olympic Committee, the PKF launched the Guardian Girls Programme on the continent from 12 to 15 June in Mexico City, where 23 female instructors representing 17 countries in the Americas were awarded WKF certification. Following the programme’s guidelines, the PKF will now organise various activities in each of these countries, with the aim of best fulfilling this noble objective of preventing gender-based violence whilst seeking to provide women with the tools to build their self-confidence. The Americas have now joined the initiative.”

WKF President Antonio Espinós said:

"This event has tremendous importance for the development of Guardian Girls Karate because it completes the series of instructors’ courses that have been held around the world, effectively confirming the global expansion of the programme and ensuring that it is fully expanded throughout the Americas."

"I would like to thank PKF President and WKF First Vice President José García Maañón for his outstanding contribution to the growth of this programme across the continent, and Samantha Desciderio and the Mexican Karate Federation for successfully hosting this important event. Guardian Girls Karate shows the value of karate’s social legacy initiatives and demonstrates how our sport can continue to empower communities and improve lives around the world."

Over 150 women from all over Mexico took part in the Open Seminar

No less than 23 new instructors from 17 countries were certified at the event.