International Northern Ssireum Federation Appoints Iranian Martial Arts Expert Meisam Ghasemi as International Advisory Board Member

Meisam Ghasemi, International Advisor to the UNESCO Representative List Ssireum (Northern Style) Organization (International Northern Ssireum Federation)

(Reporter Kim Min-jeong)= The International Northern Ssireum Federation (INSF) has announced the appointment of Mr. Meisam Ghasemi of the Islamic Republic of Iran as an International Advisory Board Member, further expanding the Federation’s international network dedicated to the preservation and promotion of UNESCO-inscribed Northern-Style Ssireum, Silk Road wrestling traditions, and Eurasian warrior culture.

According to the Federation, the appointment reflects INSF’s ongoing efforts to establish a global platform that connects martial arts leaders, traditional wrestling practitioners, researchers, and cultural heritage experts through cooperation in education, academic research, cultural exchange, and international networking.

Mr. Meisam Ghasemi is an experienced Iranian martial arts instructor with extensive expertise in multiple combat disciplines. He holds a 6th Dan Black Belt in Full Contact Karate, a 6th Dan Black Belt in Kickboxing, and a 2nd Dan Black Belt in Jujitsu, representing many years of practical experience in martial arts instruction, technical development, and athlete training.

INSF stated that his broad technical background and dedication to martial arts education make him well qualified to contribute to the Federation’s international advisory activities and long-term cultural heritage initiatives.

Iran has long been recognized as one of the principal civilizations of the historic Silk Road, where diverse cultures, philosophies, and martial traditions flourished over thousands of years. The country possesses one of the world’s richest traditions of wrestling and warrior culture, which has significantly influenced the development of traditional combat sports throughout Central Asia and Western Asia.

Among Iran’s most distinguished traditional sports is Koshti Pahlavani (Pahlevani Wrestling), a historic wrestling tradition closely associated with the Zurkhaneh (House of Strength) system. This cultural tradition combines wrestling, physical conditioning, ethics, music, ritual practice, and moral philosophy, representing a comprehensive expression of Iranian warrior culture. The traditions of Pahlevani and Zurkhaneh rituals are internationally recognized for their cultural significance and continue to play an important role in preserving Iran’s traditional physical heritage.

According to INSF, Mr. Ghasemi is expected to provide professional knowledge and expert advice regarding Iran’s traditional wrestling systems, martial arts traditions, and historical warrior culture. His contribution is anticipated to strengthen international understanding of Iranian wrestling heritage while supporting comparative research on the traditional wrestling cultures that developed along the Silk Road.

The Federation further explained that Mr. Ghasemi will contribute to INSF’s international academic initiatives by providing professional perspectives on Iranian traditional wrestling and combat culture for collaborative research, scholarly publications, educational curricula, documentary production, multimedia projects, and international publications dedicated to UNESCO-inscribed Northern-Style Ssireum, Silk Road wrestling traditions, and Eurasian warrior civilization.

INSF also noted that one of its long-term objectives is to establish an international knowledge-sharing platform where experts from different countries contribute their regional expertise while preserving their own traditional martial heritage. Within this framework, advisory board members serve not only as technical advisors but also as cultural ambassadors who help introduce their countries’ traditional wrestling and martial arts heritage to the international community.

Federation representatives emphasized that Iran’s historical role as a major center of traditional wrestling and warrior culture makes the country an important partner in developing comparative studies on Eurasian traditional physical culture. Through cooperation with specialists such as Mr. Ghasemi, INSF intends to expand international academic collaboration while promoting greater awareness of the cultural diversity and historical significance of traditional wrestling systems across Eurasia.

The appointment of Mr. Meisam Ghasemi represents another milestone in the Federation’s efforts to build an international network of martial arts professionals, scholars, and cultural heritage practitioners committed to preserving, researching, and promoting UNESCO-inscribed Northern-Style Ssireum, the traditional wrestling cultures of the Silk Road, and the shared warrior heritage of Eurasian civilizations for future generations.

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