AAU Karate Chair named president of UWK

12/14/2017


ORLANDO, Fla (December 14, 2017) - Jo Mirza, AAU national treasurer and karate national chair, has been elected president of the United World Karate organization (UWK).

ORLANDO, Fla (December 14, 2017) - Jo Mirza, AAU national treasurer and karate national chair, has been elected president of the United World Karate organization (UWK).  Founded in 2014, the organization's mission is to unify the diverse interests of the various forms of Karate and Karate Competition under one World Federation for the purpose of presenting a unified world stage in the interests of International and World level competition and developmental training for all Karate practitioners world-wide.   

Located in Lausanne, Switzerland, United World Karate (UWK) facilitates close cooperation and collaboration with the recognized world karate authorities; namely, Sport Accord and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Mr. Mirza has been a practitioner of karate since 1967 and national chair of AAU karate since 1987.  He has served on numerous committees for AAU and other karate organizations including AAU Central District President since 1978, Pan American President of World Karate Confederation (WKC), Executive Vice-President of World Karate Organization (WKO), AAU Board of Directors, Law & Legislation Committee and AAU Board of Review.

"I do not engage in sports as my occupation," said Mr. Mirza. "My involvement in AAU is not just my job. It is my love and my involvement with many international federations and national governing bodies, and the varied positions I have held in the AAU since 1978 that truly drives me."

Mr. Mirza continues to grow AAU sport programming, being instrumental in working with Albany County of New York to provide area youth access to free youth sports starting in the summer of 2015.

The program overseen by the Albany County Recreation Initiative provides flag football and karate,  lacrosse, hockey and learn-to-skate lessons in fall and winter to area youth.

For more on the United World Karate organization, visit there website at www.unitedkarate.org.