2nd Okinawan Days in Hungray 2024

II. Okinawa Days in Pesterzsébet!
Budapest, 2024

The II. Okinawa Days in Pesterzsébet were organized through the joint efforts of the Pesterzsébet Municipality and Seinchin Karate SE. We would like to express our gratitude to Mr. Gyula Földesi, Member of Parliament, Mr. Ákos Szabados, Mayor of Pesterzsébet, Ms. Anikó Dávid, Protocol Officer, Ms. Valéria Nezdei, Event Coordinator, and Ms. Andrea Haráné Bodnár, Cultural Officer, for their support and exemplary work. Special thanks go to our Okinawan teachers and the Ryukyu dance artists for making the long journey and delighting us with their wonderful performances. I would also like to extend my special thanks to the event interpreters: Mr. Kosztadin Glavanov, Dr. Zsófia Hídvégi from the Japanese Department of ELTE, Ms. Anna Hollósi, Mr. Ferenc Masaki Palatinus, a Japanese Studies student at ELTE, and Ms. Nana Shimizu Sensei, without whom this event would not have been possible. I thank all my dear students and the parents whose work contributed to the success of the event.

Ms. Anikó Dávid, Protocol Officer, and Ms. Valéria Nezdei, Event Coordinator, welcomed the karatekas and Ryukyu dance enthusiasts from the following countries: England, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Switzerland, Japan, Romania, Serbia, Hungary.

Additionally, we welcomed the following guests at the events:

• Dr. István Simicskó, President of the Hungarian Defence Sports Association, Member of Parliament (former Minister of Defence)
• Dr. István Hiller, Member of Parliament
• Mr. Ákos Szabados, Mayor of Pesterzsébet
• Mr. György Pál, Representative of Eger Municipality
• Mr. János Harót, President of ESMTK
• Mr. Ákos Lernyei, Director of Kruj Iván Sports Hall
• Mr. Géza Györki, President of the Law Enforcement Trainers’ Association
• Mr. Péter Büki, Editor-in-Chief of Hungarian Budo Magazine
• Representatives of Pesterzsébet Municipality

Ms. Nikolett Miklós greeted our Okinawan guests, who were:

• Mr. Takeshi Ozaki, First Secretary of the Japanese Embassy in Hungary
• Ms. Sachiko Győri, Cultural Officer of the Japanese Embassy in Hungary
• Ms. Mami Fujii, President of the Japan Foundation in Hungary
• Hanshi Yoshio Kuba, 10th Dan, President of Okinawa Karate-Do Kenpo-Kai
• Hanshi Hirokuni Yamashiro, 9th Dan, Grandmaster of Okinawa Karate-Do Uechi-Ryu
• Shihan Takahiro Shinjo, 8th Dan, President of Tomari-Te, Okinawa Kenryu Doshikai
• Shihan Yukari Tamagusuku, Ryukyu dance artist, Master of Tamagusuku-Ryu Tedano-Kai
• Shihan Satoko Matayoshi, Ryukyu dance artist, Master of Tamagusuku-Ryu Izumi-Kai
• Sensei Takeshi Sasagawa, 6th Dan, Teacher and Karate Coach at Yamate Gakuin High School
• Sensei Yoshino Kushi, 4th Dan, Master of Okinawa Karate-Do Uechi-Ryu
• Sensei Mihály Fischer, 4th Dan, Coach of the Hungarian National Team, Head Coach of MTK
• Sensei Gábor Hárspataki, Olympic Bronze Medalist and WKF World Championship Silver Medalist
• Ms. Andrea Haráné Bodnár, Cultural Officer of Pesterzsébet Municipality
• Ms. Valéria Nezdei, Event Coordinator of Pesterzsébet Municipality
• Ms. Anikó Dávid, Protocol Officer of Pesterzsébet Municipality

Opening speeches were given by Mr. Takeshi Ozaki, First Secretary of the Japanese Embassy, with translation by Ms. Sachiko Győri, Cultural Officer of the Japanese Embassy.

Greetings were delivered by Mr. Ákos Szabados, Mayor of Pesterzsébet.

Commemorative plaques were awarded by Mr. Ákos Szabados, Mayor of Pesterzsébet, to:

• Ms. Judit Golob
• Ms. Nikolett Miklós
• Ms. Anikó Slezák
• Mr. Zsolt Bándli
• Ms. Annamária Nagy
• Mr. István Szabó, Chief Instructor of Dento Shito-Ryu Federation
• Mr. György Pál, Secretary-General of Dento Shito-Ryu Federation/Representative of the City of Eger
• Mr. Ákos Lernyei, Director of Gyulai István Elementary School
• Ms. Tímea Kruchio

Commemorative plaques were also presented by Kyoshi László Harsányi, European Representative of Okinawa Karate-Do Kenpo-Kai, to the following individuals:

• Mr. Takeshi Ozaki, First Secretary of the Japanese Embassy in Hungary
• Ms. Sachiko Győri, Cultural Officer of the Japanese Embassy in Hungary
• Ms. Mami Fujii, President of the Japan Foundation in Hungary
• Ms. Andrea Haráné Bodnár, Cultural Officer of Pesterzsébet Municipality
• Ms. Anikó Dávid, Protocol Officer of Pesterzsébet Municipality
• Ms. Valéria Nezdei, Event Coordinator of Pesterzsébet Municipality
• Ms. Nikolett Miklós, Organizer

Commemorative plaques were also presented by Mr. Ákos Szabados, Mayor of Pesterzsébet, to:

• Hanshi Yoshio Kuba
• Hanshi Hirokuni Yamashiro
• Shihan Takahiro Shinjo
• Sensei Mihály Fischer
• Sensei Gábor Hárspataki
• Shihan Yukari Tamagusuku
• Shihan Satoko Matayoshi
• Sensei Yoshino Kushi
• Shihan Takeshi Sasagawa
• Ms. Judit Laki, Head of Goju-Ryu Foundation
• Mr. Zoltán Laki, Photographer, President of Goju-Ryu Foundation
• Mr. Balázs Laki
• Mr. László Hohl, Representative of Szigetszentmiklós Municipality
• Dr. Zsófia Hídvégi, Interpreter, Organizer, and Teacher at ELTE’s Japanese Department
• Ms. Anna Hollósi, Interpreter
• Ms. Nana Shimizu, Organizer, Interpreter
• Mr. Ferenc Masaki Palatinus, Interpreter, Japanese Studies Student at ELTE
• Mr. Bálint Rozgonyi Tóth
• Dr. Ádám Schmidt
• Dr. János Mészáros
• Mr. Lajos Berkó
• Mr. Géza Györki
• Ms. Erika Berta
• Ms. Réka Szondy

Appointments were received by:

1. Mr. Alekszey Konovalov, Ukraine
2. Mr. Rudolf Penthor, Slovakia
3. Mr. Ondrej Stahlavsky, Czech Republic
4. Mr. Gyula Szilágyi, Belgium
5. Mr. Jozef Stefanides, Slovakia
6. Mr. Andrej Ovchinnikov, Germany
7. Mr. Mauro Proietti, Italy
8. Mr. Marko Marffy, Switzerland
9. Mr. Csaba Búzás, Romania
10. Mr. Erik Le Grumelec, France
11. Mr. Ladislav Sztranyak, Slovakia

The event was supported by:

• Dr. Ádám Schmidt, State Secretary for Sports of the Ministry of Defence
• Dr. István Simicskó, President of the Hungarian Defence Sports Association
• Mr. Gyula Földesi, Member of Parliament
• Mr. Ákos Szabados, Mayor of Pesterzsébet
• Dr. János Mészáros, President of the Hungarian Karate Federation
• Mr. János Nagy, Mayor of Szigetszentmiklós
• Mr. Ákos Lernyei, Director of Gyulai István Elementary School
• Pesterzsébet Municipality
• Szigetszentmiklós Municipality
• Hungarian Karate Federation
• Law Enforcement Trainers’ Association

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