Message from the EKO Board
To whom it may concern.
With incredible sadness, we have to announce that our Hungarian Branch Chief Arpas Kalmar shihan suddenly has passed away. For many years, he has been a very valuable member of our karate family and he has contributed greatly to the development of (shin)kyokushin karate and martial arts. Not only in Hungary, but also in Europe and also around the whole world.
Arpad shihan tirelessly worked for other people, in his personal and sports life. He was creative and always eager to organize, soft spoken and warmhearted. He was a great shihan, and also a very worthy Knight in the Order of Saint George.
As karate people, we lose an unique person and it is beyond comprehension that he is not among us anymore. He will be missed enormously.
We can only hope that he is reunited now with two of his dear friends, two great karateka we also miss immensely, shihan George Karmazin and the legendary shihan Furko Kalman and who Arpad also loved very much.
We wish his family and friends, karate students, the Hungarian shihans, senseis, sempais and kohais and everybody who knew him, all the strength possible to cope with this great loss. And we wish for them, like we do, to try to find consolation in the countless, wonderful memories about Arpad that we share. Please go on and continue to live and work in his spirit.
Ganbatte kudasai!
Arpi, all members of EKO will never forget you, you will always be deep in our hearts.
On behalf of the European Karate Organization,
Koen Scharrenberg
Remigiusz Karpinski
Romas Vitkauskas
Boris Nikolov
Anca Wallmen
Michael Soderkwist
Jan Bulow
Gilbert Cleveringa
We would like to share the message we received from Hungary
Dear Friends, Coaches and Karatekas!
A sad day dawned on May 30, because we no longer hear the voice, words, and advice of our beloved teacher, coach, and friend, Árpi Kalmár. He left a great void, as his work, perseverance and will power were unsurpassed.
He participated in the European Championship in Valencia, Spain, then fell ill and was hospitalized, and finally, at a tragically young age, his heart stopped beating. We are holding a farewell memorial in his honor on 30.06.2024 (Sunday), 12.00 – 15.00, at UTE In the Volleyball hall of the UTE Szilágyi úti Sports Center, 1046 Budapest, Szilágyi u. 30. location. We warmly welcome all dear friends, karate fighters, and acquaintances who would like to respectfully remember and bid farewell to Árpi Kalmár.
The funeral will be held privately in the presence of family and close friends at another time. Árpi Kalmár didn’t want to leave us here, but fate intervened. He had countless plans and started projects that family and friends would like to continue. Nurturing his legacy and completing some elements of his work. Anyone who wants to contribute to the fulfillment of Árpi’s mission can do so via the Martial Arts, Sport for a Healthy Lifestyle Foundation account he created K&H Bank (HU38 10400566-50527050-71671006).
We would like to ensure that all the humble, persistent work that Árpi did for Hungarian Karate and for the children does not go to waste. Please do not bring or send flowers to the memorial service. The funeral will be held at a different time, but if you wish, you can support the work of the Foundation with the amount intended for flowers, thus helping to maintain Árpi’s legacy.
Those who cannot attend the event in person can pay their respects by sending a video message, which will be shown at the farewell. The short videos, old pictures together with him can be sent to the address below by 2024.06.29 the alexlevele@yahoo.com. His relatives and all concerned would like that very much. It will give an extra emotional consolation at the farewell.
OSU!
