Modern Arnis Seminar in Jordan

Filipino Fighting Arts International recently held its third Modern Arnis seminar in Jordan.  This was held on January 13-21, 2007 at the Prince Rashid bin El-Hassan Centre for Martial Arts.

The seminar was conducted by Wail Irshaid, punong guro (chief instructor) for Filipino Fighting Arts – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (FFA – KSA) and sanctioned by the International Modern Arnis Federation of the Philippines (IMAFP) under Master Godofredo Fajardo, Commissioner for the Middle East based in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Organizers of the event included Wail I. M. Yahya, coordinator for Jordan; Fouad Mamakhan, coordinator for Iraq; Dr. Basil Yusuf Al-Shair and Mohammad Issa Yosef Kawash, seminar officials; and Sulaiman Qablan Al-Shawarbi, guest of honor and head of the Jordan Modern Arnis committee.

Participants came from all over the Middle East, mostly from Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon and Iraq.  The seminar was indeed successful in promoting not only Modern Arnis and martial arts but also brotherhood and camaraderie among its practitioners in the region.

PHOTO GALLERY

Venue of the Modern Arnis seminar in Jordan

Several participants, led by Fouad Mamakhan of Iraq, third from left,
 line up in preparation for the Modern Arnis seminar.

Sulaiman Qablan Al-Shawarbi, head of the Jordan Modern Arnis
committee, (middle) poses with some participants.

Participants prepare to bow in at the Modern Arnis seminar in Jordan.

Punong Guro (Chief Instructor) Wail Irshaid (foreground in
black uniform) leads the Modern Arnis seminar in Jordan.

An informal moment at the Modern Arnis seminar in Jordan.

Modern Arnis stalwarts in Jordan-Wail Irshaid poses with oldest son Hamoda