The first flowers have started blooming and spring is almost upon us. Another year has passed and the Iaido Association of Ireland is going into its 5th year of existence. And once again, I am honoured to serve the IAI as President. I would like to extent my gratitude to all our members for entrusting me with this office for my third consecutive year.
I am also very happy to be joined by our newly elected Secretary Paul O'Brien and like to welcome him on the Board. Paul is a dedicated Iaidoka and brings enthusiasm and dedication to Iaido and our organisation. I am looking forward working with Paul and I hope that we will be able to support and encourage our members in this coming year as well as raising the awareness of the IAI and Iaido throughout Ireland.

All our dojos are small but what we lack in numbers we make up in dedication. We all believe that Iaido brings us together, to celebrate our diversity and to honour our differences so that we can learn from each other with mutual respect and in a sense of true friendship. The Iaido Association of Ireland is providing us not only with necessary insurance and an internet presence but with a basis for all Iaidoka to come together as one.

I would like to extend my hand to all who want to take up the way of the sword and welcome them in the spirit of friendship. We hope that over time we will become Ireland's finest association in providing opportunities for Iaido training. We will not compete with other organisations and we will not exclude any dedicated Iaidoka who has demonstrated their willingness and sincerity. Our mission is to promote Iaido throughout Ireland and to encourage all students and teachers alike. To provide the ability for people to train but also to ensure that the dojos and teachers we recommend are good dojos and good people who have embraced Iaido in its fullest. Every member of the IAI, every teacher, every dojo is a representative of the association and what we stand for.

I truly and honestly believe that together we will achieve all that we want to achieve and probably more. And in the years to come I hope to see more students joining us, students becoming teachers over time, teachers opening their own dojos in all parts of the country so that we can fulfil our dream of giving everybody in Ireland who wants to learn Iaido the opportunity to do so and that they will not need to travel far to find a dojo with sincere and honest teachers and students who would welcome them.
It will probably take years to achieve this vision, but let us not give up hope, let this vision be strong in all of us, let it guide us. Let us all work together towards this goal, so that one year another newly elected president will address you all and will be able to say that our dream has come true.

Thank you all for your support, encouragement and trust that you have given me in the last years and for the year to come. I wish you all a very successful year and I am looking forward to working and training with you in the future.

Thanks,

Björn O. Fehr
President of Iaido Association of Ireland