About ICM
About ICM
International Centre of Martial Arts for Youth Development and Engagement under the auspices of UNESCO (ICM) was founded in December 2016 under the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Korea and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) regarding the International Centre of Martial Arts for Youth Development and Engagement under the auspices of UNESCO (Category 2) signed on December 1, 2015.
Throughout history, martial arts have been handed down through generations as part of the story of humankind. Values that such martial arts teach like mutual respect, discipline, and a sense of cooperation and equity are important tools to tackle many problems in contemporary society. ICM is the world’s one and only Category 2 Centre under the auspices of UNESCO in martial arts. As such, it strives towards establishing a culture of peace and reconciliation through martial arts while focusing on:
- Achievement of UNESCO Global Priorities (Gender Equality and Africa) and strengthening capacities of youth and women through martial arts
- Research on and dissemination of martial arts values toward achieving 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
- Accumulation and research of martial arts-related information and data worldwide
* 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: Adopted at the 70th UN General Assembly in 2015 to achieve sustainable development goals by 2030, this agenda comprises 17 goals and 169 targets.
‘The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a specialized agency that seeks to advance peace and progress of humanity by promoting international cooperation in education, science, culture, information, and communication. UNESCO focuses on promoting the values of universal justice, rule of law, human rights, and basic liberties prescribed by the UN Charter, with its top global priorities being Africa and Gender Equality.
Category 2 Centre?A Category 2 Centre is an institution of international cooperation in one of UNESCO’s domains of expertise, implementing and researching programs in correspondence with UNESCO strategy and policy under an agreement between UNESCO and a member state.