SoSYS opens a national tournament between martial arts groups
On May 24, in the Dili Gymnasium, the Secretary of State for Youth and Sports, Miguel Manetelo, integrated in the delegation of the Vice-Prime Minister, José Luís Guterres, opened the martial arts national tournament.
The Vice-Prime Minister appealed to all participants and groups members to maintain the peace and unity in the heart of the organization. In the oath ritual celebrated during the ceremony, the martial arts participants promised to maintain peace and stability in Timor-Leste. The Government, through the Secretariat of State for Youth and Sports, will pay attention to all issues regarding martial arts in Timor-Leste for the benefit of the Country’s development.
Aniceto Guru Bertene, in the quality of President of the Timor-Leste Silat Federation (FESTL), considered that the main objective of the tournament is the preparation for the Asian Games, in Indonesia: “This competition has the objective of safeguarding the oath and the ritual carried out, to give a sporting character to martial arts and prepare the winning members to be integrated in the Asian Games, in Indonesia”.
In this tournament, which finishes on June 10, five federations are participating: Karate Federation, Timor-Leste Kempo Federation, Taekwondo Federation, Silat Pencat Federation and Ukido Federation.
