Seminar with Louis Shihan in UAE

On the 3rd & 4th of July 2013, UAE Aikido hosted the UAE's first visiting Shihan Seminar. Loius Van Thieghem is a certified Aikikai Hombu Shihan (Master Instructor) and ranked at 6th Dan. Training was held at both Northern and Southern dojo's and followed by Club dinners.

Van Thieghem Shihan is Sugano Shihan’s most senior student in Europe and assisted him to pioneer Aikido in a number countries including; Belgium, Russia and Cameroon. Amongst the many positions he holds in Europe, he is part of the Grading Committee for the AFA Belgium in Southern Belgium and also for the VAV (the northern organization that follows Sugano Sensei's teachings). He is also part of the panel which accredits Aikido teachers for the Belgian Government (equivalent to Shidoin and Fuku-shidoin). In addition, he is the Technical Director of the Inter-regional Aikido Federation of the Crimea and Sebastopol, and Technical Director of the Yamato Aiki Kai Aikido Foundation in St Petersberg, Russia, and of the Aikicen of Cameroon. See full gallery