By: Alessandro Romagnoli - IOGKF Italy
The European Gasshuku 2013 was hosted in Italy, in the beautiful and picturesque city
of Catania, Sicily. For IOGKF Italy it has been an honor and a joy to be able to organize
this important event. Under the guidance of Paolo TaigÅ Spongia Sensei, our entire
community has been able to participate and share the many responsibilities that constitute the Gasshuku.
A special merit we owe, no doubt, to Beppe Manzari Sensei, the real director of the organizational machine: from the reception of the many guests who came from different
parts of the world to the extraordinary sensitivity with which he has been able to find
solutions for any kind of trouble any similar event entails - as you can imagine. For all
of us a good example of patience, dedication and efficiency.
For me, who could follow
from the "inside" the administrative aspects of the
reception and registration of
the numerous students and
teachers arrived in Italy for
the meeting of the great
IOGKF family, it is also important to emphasize the big
commitment exerted by the
young people from our
federation who responded
enthusiastically whenever asked to perform important duties, so that everything could
be efficient and in order.
Finally, thanks to all guests for being so kind to understand and excuse some of our difficulties or unintentional mishap, and for helping us to overcome unexpected troubles:
this, I think, is an essential element of the spirit that animates the whole IOGKF community, from north to south, from east to west .
Many people among those who, like me, usually participate in international gasshukus,
have often been wondering and discussing with each other, what is the special ingredient, or even the "secret", that makes this international meetings such a formidable
moment.