Hanshi Salam Kahil – Biography
Salam Kahil began practicing Kyokushinkai Karate in Lebanon in 1980 under the guidance of Shihan Makki. In 1984, he earned his 1st Dan, and in 1990, his 2nd Dan. After a long hiatus, Kahil resumed his coaching activities in Kyokushin Karate, representing the International Kyokushinkai & Self-Defense Federation (USA) in Ukraine. Shihan Salam is the President of the Kyokushinkai Budokan Organization and a member of the International Kyokushin Budokai Organization.
At the end of 1988, Kahil arrived in Ukraine to study and began teaching Kyokushinkai Karate just two months later, already holding a 1st Dan rank. In 1990, he traveled back to Lebanon and was promoted to 2nd Dan. Shihan Makki informed him that he could operate under the Lebanese-issued certificate as a representative of the Lebanese Kyokushinkai Federation in Ukraine. However, upon returning to Odesa, Kahil discovered that a Ukrainian Kyokushinkai Federation already existed and that his certificate was only valid within Lebanon.
Choosing to avoid conflict with the Ukrainian federation, Salam Kahil established his own federation—Shimmei-do Karate—in 1991, thus departing from Kyokushinkai. The Shimmei-do style was built upon the technical foundation of Kyokushinkai, incorporating punches to the head and throwing techniques. At that time (1991), no other karate styles in Ukraine followed such rules, and Kahil faced criticism from other local instructors. Nevertheless, Salam Kahil successfully developed his martial arts system, proving that his federation had a promising future.
In 2005, Salam Kahil was invited by the International Kyokushinkai & Self-Defense Federation (USA) to become its representative in Ukraine. He was awarded the title of Branch Chief of Ukraine and 6th Dan in Kyokushinkai Karate by the federation’s director, Sobhi Berry (8th Dan).
In late 2009, Salam Kahil joined IKO Sosai Kyokushinkaikan and became a dojo operator in Odesa. The IKO Sosai organization authorized him to conduct Kyokushin Karate training, register students and instructors with Honbu in Japan, and hold examinations for various Kyokushin Karate ranks. In October 2010, following a visit from the IKO Sosai official representative, Shihan Flynn, Salam Kahil was granted additional powers as the regional representative of the International Karate Organization Kyokushinkai in Ukraine. In 2011, he withdrew from IKO Sosai, following Shihan Thomas Flynn, and in the same year was appointed as the official representative of the Kyokushin World Federation (KWF) in Ukraine.
Salam Kahil is the founder and president of the Simmey-do Karate Federation and holds an 8th Dan, awarded to him in 2009 by the International Black Belt Bureau (UK).
Shihan Salam Kahil is also an active member of numerous international martial arts organizations, including the Global Black Belt Society (USA), the International Masters Council (Greece), the International Black Belt Bureau (Germany), and others.
He holds a 6th Dan in Kyokushin Karate from the International Kyokushinkai & Self-Defense Federation. On March 12, 2010, he was appointed dojo operator in Ukraine by the International Karate Organization Kyokushinkaikan (So-Honbu, Japan). So-Honbu granted Kahil Salam full authority to develop and teach the Kyokushinkai style in Ukraine.
In 2009, Shihan Kahil was appointed Director of the International ChunJiDo Karate Organization (USA) for Eastern Europe and Asia. He also holds a 7th Dan in Full-Contact Kenpo Karate from the International Martial Arts Alliance.