The VIII International St. George Martial Arts Festival "For Faith and Homeland" was held in Penza

On May 14, 2022, the VIII International St. George Martial Arts Festival "For Faith and Homeland" took place on the Cathedral Square in Penza. The organizers were the Government of the Penza Region, the Penza Eparchy, the Penza Theological Seminary, the Institute for Regional Development of the Penza Region, the Penza branch of the Military Academy of Logistical Support; Russian Union of Orthodox Fighters; International  Students  Association with the support of: the Ministry of Education of the Penza Region, the Ministry of Physical Culture and Sports of the Penza Region, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Penza Region, Association of Martial Arts of the Penza Region, Penza State University. One of the organizers was Gleb Sintsov, PSU Vice-Rector for International Affairs, Director of the Institute for International Cooperation. “Holding such a festival is a good tradition that will be preserved for many years. It is especially pleasant that international students take an active part in them. Our goal is to contribute to the creation of a tolerant youth student environment and to promote the idea of peace throughout the world,” emphasized Professor Sintsov.

The guests of honor of the event were: Oleg Melnichenko, Governor of the Penza Region; Sergey Burlakov, Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Physical Culture and Sports of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, record holder of the Guinness Book of World Records; Metropolitan Serafim of Penza and Nizhny Lomov. Welcoming the participants of the competition, Oleg Melnichenko noted the significance of this festival: “It educates the youth, tempers the character. This is a great platform to take place as a fighter, show yourself and your skills, make friends and be ready to defend your homeland.”

After the grand opening of the VIII International St. George Martial Arts Festival, a series of demonstration performances were held, presenting various types and styles of martial arts.

The sporting event annually gathers representatives of martial arts organizations not only from the Russian Federation, but also from other countries: Lebanon, Egypt, Yemen, India, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Kenya, including international students studying at Penza State University.

The teams demonstrated the characteristic features of various military schools: combat sambo, boxing, judo, aikido, wushu, taekwondo, karate-do, hand-to-hand fight, kyokushinkai karate, kuresh. This festival is dedicated to the formation of love for a healthy lifestyle, sports, as well as fostering a sense of patriotism in the younger generation.