Tiếng ViệtDistinguished leaders of Ho Chi Minh City!
Mr. Shin Koyamada, Founder and Chairman of Guardian Girls International – the World Vovinam Federation’s global partner for women’s and girls’ gender equality development!
Leaders of Thu Dau Mot University!
Honored Masters of the Vovinam Council of Managing Masters and leaders of the Vietnam Vovinam Federation!
Distinguished guests, fellow Vovinam practitioners, and students of Thu Dau Mot University!
I was entrusted with the role of President of the World Vovinam Federation on August 2, 2017 – more than eight years ago. Yet, the dream of establishing a Global Vovinam Academy had long existed in the hearts of our most senior Vovinam leaders, particularly Patriarch Master Lê Sáng and Chief Managing Master Nguyễn Văn Chiếu, who devoted their entire lives to our discipline and, unfortunately, could not witness this historic moment today.
Their dream has since become my personal mission – a vow that has guided me for the past eight years, even appearing in my dreams. I have visited most of the global academies of the world’s leading martial arts schools to learn what exactly we must do.
Why does Vovinam need a Global Academy?
Our predecessors used their own personal resources to build sacred places for worshipping our founders – which also served as training centers open to disciples from all over the world. We have our ancestral halls in District 10 of the old Ho Chi Minh City and in Ba Ria–Vung Tau. But these locations are far too small for the vast growth of our art, which now has millions of practitioners across more than 75 countries.
Every practitioner, at home and abroad, longs to one day train at the source – where the original techniques of the discipline are preserved, to learn from our most accomplished masters, and to immerse themselves in the rich cultural tradition that gave birth to Vovinam Việt Võ Đạo. Naturally, such cultural exchanges also contribute to promoting Vietnam’s image, economy, and soft power.
I presented this vision to the leadership of Ho Chi Minh City, together with a detailed proposal. The city showed strong support and allocated a potential site in the Phú Thọ Sports Complex. However, administrative procedures have not yet been completed – while our global Vovinam community has grown impatient. Many have long been ready to contribute to the construction. The remaining funding has been pledged by my family’s Từ Mai Foundation.
However, constructing the Academy is only part – and perhaps the smaller part – of this project. Running and sustaining it will require enormous resources. Even martial arts academies that receive government support face major challenges. Relying on the generosity of just one or a few individuals is not a sustainable solution.
Fate has granted me the privilege, as a Vovinam disciple, to study and visit some of the world’s finest leadership institutions across Asia, Europe, and the United States. I have come to realize a universal truth: Those who create the most lasting value are always holistic leaders – possessing Mind, Intellect, and Will. This is essentially the same philosophy as our ancestors’ ideal of “Văn Võ Song Toàn” – mastery of both the civil and martial virtues – and the Vovinam principle of “Revolution of Body and Mind.”
Intellect may come from any form of education or lifelong learning. Mind comes from family, culture, worldview, and values. Will largely arises from one’s circumstances and the desire to transcend them. Sports also help to forge willpower – and among all sports, martial arts require the most rigorous discipline, endurance, and resilience.
Thus, the Global Vovinam Academy I envision will go far beyond a conventional martial arts institute. It will, of course, be a center for research, training, and a shared home for Vovinam worldwide. But more profoundly, it will also be a leadership academy – cultivating individuals who embody Mind, Intellect, and Will.
We have studied the curricula of leading leadership institutions across the globe and are confident that the Global Vovinam Academy can marshal the resources to do likewise – first for Vietnam, and eventually at an international level.
In addition to short courses, the Academy will offer bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs. We expect our graduates to become capable leaders in both the public and private sectors – grounded in management science and leadership studies; living with compassion, discipline, and dedication; strong in physique and self-defense; and resilient in the face of adversity. Admission to these leadership programs will be highly selective, ensuring that only those who can meet the rigorous demands of holistic development are accepted – people who will go on to create immense value and, in turn, give back to help the Academy reach even greater heights.
For Vietnamese present at this event, please allow me to share sincerely, after nearly forty years of traveling around the world: Our people are truly the greatest asset this nation has – with their remarkable ability to learn, to strive, to overcome hardship, and to adapt. When trained properly, Vietnam can absolutely produce world-class talents – individuals who will not only contribute to the strong development of our country but also to the progress of humanity. The Global Vovinam Academy is committed to playing its part in nurturing such talents, making the quality of our human resources our top priority. Every graduate from this Academy must be a true talent.
Our project ideas were initially shared with several private educational institutions in the old Ho Chi Minh City and received enthusiastic support for joint implementation. However, a major turning point occurred this year when Bình Dương Province became part of the new Ho Chi Minh City, and Thu Dau Mot University became a public university of this new city. The university’s leadership took the initiative to propose establishing the Vovinam Academy and invited the support of both the World and Vietnam Vovinam Federation.
For me personally, this feels like destiny fulfilled. I was born in Thủ Dầu Một Province, grew up in Thủ Dầu Một Town, and am now a citizen of Thủ Dầu Một Ward. I was once a student at Thu Dau Mot University in 1987–1988. Thus, to build and realize this great dream – one cherished by generations of Vovinam practitioners – right here on my own homeland, is a joy beyond words.
We have had heartfelt and inspiring discussions between Thu Dau Mot University’s leadership and myself, as the representative of the World Vovinam Federation. The road ahead will be full of challenges, and success will not come easily. Yet we have the patience and faith to see it through – because our noble purpose is clear and achievable: To train leadership talent for the nation and for humanity.
That is why, in recent days, I have felt a deep excitement – and today, standing before you, I cannot hide my emotions. This day will be remembered as a truly historic milestone in the development of Vovinam Việt Võ Đạo.
I have promised the faculty of Thu Dau Mot University that I will personally contribute to building the curriculum, recruiting international resources, and even teaching in person as long as I am able. The Academy will play a vital role in nurturing Vietnam’s future elite leaders – while at the same time helping Vovinam and Vietnamese culture spread across the world, demonstrating the vitality and value of the Vietnamese spirit.
I wish to thank Master Bùi Đặng Hồng Nhung, the first PhD in Vovinam (graduated in China), now a physical education lecturer at Thu Dau Mot University and Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Vovinam Federation, for initiating the proposal to the university’s leadership.
I thank the university leadership for sharing this vision and for their proactive collaboration to elevate their Vovinam Academy into the Global Vovinam Academy.
I am confident this Academy will help propel Thu Dau Mot University’s name to far-reaching prominence, as it joins the World Vovinam Federation in spreading Vovinam and Vietnamese culture across the globe.
Initially, the Academy will use the facilities of the National Defense and Security Education Center of the Military School under the Ho Chi Minh City Command, where we are gathered today. The first intake for the Leadership Program will open in 2026. Together with the university, we have also selected a suitable site under its management to build the Academy’s permanent headquarters.
I also wish to thank the Vovinam Council of Managing Masters, the World and Vietnam Vovinam Federations, and especially my family’s Từ Mai Foundation, whose unconditional support gives me the confidence to commit to financing both the construction and future operation of the Academy.
Ho Chi Minh City has always been the leading torchbearer of the global Vovinam movement. With the establishment of the Global Vovinam Academy on its soil, this leadership position is further strengthened. I sincerely hope that the city’s leadership will recognize the contributions of Vovinam, Thu Dau Mot University, and soon this Academy – to the city’s multidimensional growth and cultural advancement – and continue to support us on this long journey ahead.
I wish all of you a delightful afternoon and renewed inspiration, so that together we may build a strong, prosperous, and glorious Vietnam!