Ghana Pencak Silat Federation Strengthens Ties with Malaysian High Commission Ahead of World Championship

Story By: Emmanuel Bortey Capito /Sports JournalistsÂ

An official delegation from the Ghana Pencak Silat Federation led by its president, Mr. Festus Mankatah Annan Snr, was received by the Malaysian High Commission in Ghana on Monday, 14th October, 2024.

The Ghana Pencak  Silat Federation`s President and his executives took the golden opportunity to highlight the potential benefits of Ghana – Malaysia collaboration in Silat sports and Ghana’s chances of winning medals at the upcoming 20th Pencak Silat World Championship in Abu Dhabi from 16th – 23rd December 2024. Â

 This meeting was an essential step towards strengthening partnerships and preparing for the highly anticipated upcoming event, which is expected to bring together 1000 athletes and officials from across 82 member federations.

The Malaysian High Commissioner for Ghana, His Excellency Mr., welcomed the Ghana Pencak Silat Federation to Ghana. During his visit, Syed Nauzer Idid Bin Syed Yusoff Idid expressed his heartfelt pleasure and shared some valuable insights into traditional martial arts sports.

He pledged to support the Ghana Pencak Silat Federation in developing the sport internationally and locally.  Youth engagement and development in silat-related activities were a primary focus of the meeting.

There is a lot of expertise and best practices Ghana and Malaysia can share in regards to Pencak Silat – the role of young people in shaping the future development of youth in their respective communities.

The Ghana Pencak Silat Federation and Malaysia High Commission stressed the importance of including youth voices in sport development.Pencak Silat is a fighting sport which collectively encompasses martial arts of various styles originating from Indonesia.

This form of fighting involves, striking, grappling techniques, and throwing. Pencak Silat involves full-body fighting, where any part of the body can be used and any part of the body can be attacked.

This form of fighting originated in Indonesia as a means of self-defense and turned into a competitive sport. The sport has currently spread to over 82 countries.

After the presentation, Mr. Raja Afi Amierul Aiman, the third Secretary at the Malaysian High Commission, expressed his admiration and appreciation for the Federation’s visit and its impact on Silat’s development in Ghana.

He praised the Ghana Pencak Silat Federation for its dedication to nurturing the youth’s potential in developing Silat in Ghana.In a conclusion remarks, the President of Ghana Pencak Silat Federation, Mr. Festus Mankatah Annan expressed his gratitude for the warm reception and highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts on developing the Silat sport both on a local and global scale.

He stressed the significance of involving the youth, as they hold the key to a sustainable future.The meeting concluded on a high note with some key steps or proposed actions that will foster meaningful collaborations and strengthening the involvement of youth in Silat development.