The GCS International Portland, U.S.A. Chapter was inaugurated in a grand ceremony in Portland, Oregon on June 16, 2019.

Dr. Selma Li took the position of the first president of the GCS International Portland, U.S.A. Chapter.

The inauguration ceremony took place at the Oregon Convention Center in downtown Portland as a special event of the 2019 Pan Am Taekwondo Championships. The ceremony drew some 500 people, mostly athletes, referees, officials, volunteers and spectators attending the 2019 Pan Am Taekwondo Championships, which kicked off on June 14 and concluded on June 16.

Among the dignitaries at the inauguration ceremony were Grand Master Ji Ho Choi, World Taekwondo vice president and president of the World Taekwondo Pan America; three WT Council members of Mr. Anthony Ferguson, Ms. Maria Lourdes de Veer and Mr. Inseon Kim; WT member national association presidents from Haiti, Canada, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Panama and Barbados; and PATU Council members.

Also on hand were Grand Master Jay Kyun Shin, the father of Mr. Rick Shin, secretary general of the WT Pan America; and Grand Master Hong Ki Kim, former president of the Venezuela Taekwondo Federation.

On behalf of GCS International President Dr. Chungwon Choue, who also serves as president of World Taekwondo, Dr. Seok-jae Kang, secretary general of GCS International, attended the inauguration ceremony.
GCS International Secretary General Kang started the inauguration ceremony by delivering a speech.

“On behalf of Dr. Chungwon Choue, president of GCS International and World Taekwondo, I wish to express my heart-felt appreciation to each of you taking the time to attend the inauguration ceremony of the GCS International Portland, U.S.A. Chapter,” Dr. Kang said.

“I wish to thank Grand Master Ji Ho Choi and Dr. Selma Li, the first president of GCS Portland Chapter, for organizing this big event,” he said. “My special thank also go to Grand Master Jay Kyun Shin, who is well known as the father of taekwondo in Nepal.”

Dr. Kang continued to say, “Under the strong leadership of Dr. Selma Li and with the support of World Taekwondo Pan Am President Ji Ho Choi, we believe that the GCS Movement in the Pan America region will make much progress.”

“Together with GCS Portland Chapter and the World Taekwondo Pan America, we plan to expand our humanitarian activities in developing countries around the world, especially in the Pan America region,” he said.

He said, “We should be proud of our Olympic sport of taekwondo. WT President Dr Choue’s vision is to make WT a great and respected international sport federation. In this regard, GCS International and other NGOs around the world can help promote taekwondo in developing countries.”

“As far as humanitarian activities are concerned, the World Taekwondo Pan America may be one of the most active taekwondo organizations and I strongly hope other international taekwondo organizations to follow suit,” Dr. Kang said.

After the opening speech, Dr. Kang read the GCS Charter, followed by the GCS membership pledge by Jacob Van, a member of GCS Portland Chapter. He is a Kukkiwon 2nd Dan blank belt holder and the charity drive represent in Portland for Nepal Earthquake Disaster Funds & Portland Rescue Mission for the homeless. The whole Van family members ran a two-day GCS promotional booth at the competition venue to organize a breakathon event. The raised funds will be used to help support taekwondo training for children in developing countries.

Then the GCS flag was handed over to the first president of the GCS Portland, U.S.A. Chapter, Dr. Selma Li. She then took the oath of office and was given a plaque of approval.

On behalf of GCS International President Dr. Choue, Dr. Kang also gave a plaque of appreciation to Grand Master Ji Ho Choi and Grand Master Jay Kyun Shin, in recognition to their respective “ceaseless efforts for the promotion of world peace through taekwondo and contribution to the mankind.”

After the presentation, Dr. Selma Li received a GCS membership card and a GCS badge. She then made her inauguration speech, thanking Dr. Choue for the approval as president of the GCS Portland Chapter. She promised to “do her best to promote the GCS movement not only in Portland, but also in the Pan American region.”

GCS International Secretary General Kang concluded the 25-minute inauguration ceremony by reciting “G – C – S for Global Common Society.”

After the GCS inauguration ceremony, ranking taekwondo officials from Venezuela, Haiti, Colombia and Costa Rica expressed their willingness to join the GCS movement. The GCS Portland Chapter plans to organize a walkathon on June 18 as its first official event after the inauguration ceremony.