festivities to mark the 110th birthday of Master Miyagi Chojun, founder of Goju-Ryu karate.

Local karate instructor Sensei Bobby Smith and one of his senior students, Mariae Dixon, will travel to the birthplace of karate, Okinawa, Japan to take part in the International Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate-Do Federation (IOGKF) World Budo Sai (Martial Arts Festival).

Over 300 IOGKF members from over 40 countries are expected to attend the festival with some of those countries, including Bermuda, having been selected to give demonstrations.

Each country was asked to submit a video tape of their proposed demonstration to Master Morio Higaonna who is chairman and chief instructor of the IOGKF.

Smith sent a copy of his locally-produced instructional video "Dynamic Self-Defence For All'' and was asked by Higaonna to be one of the demonstrators.

Said Smith: "I'm sure the butterflies will be working overtime but I consider it a great honour to perform at such a prestigious event.'' The festival will include lectures and seminars by Masters An'Ichi Miyagi and Aragaki Shuichi who were both students of the founder Miyagi Chojun.

The event will be held at the newly constructed Okinawa Budokan (Martial Arts pavilion), completed by the Government of Okinawa only last year.