Mission Statement
Enso is an ancient, international symbol of inner strength, harmony, community and peace. It symbolizes our committment to personal growth through Body & Mind balance, discipline and practice. Enso comes from the Japanese language and literally means an "open" circle. Although our name is from the Japanese language, and inspired by the principles of Aikido and Hapkido, originally a Japanese martial art, we are an International Arts School. Enso Center is a nonprofit, nonsectarian, nondenominational, grassroots community educational organization dedicated to building strong, sustainable communities by teaching peacekeeping skills through the study of martial arts, nature, languages, technology, communication, literacy and international arts. Our strong focus is on integrating these arts into daily practice, into basic education curriculum, building positive discipline lifestyles, and by providing practical learning experiences that enhance different learning styles. We aspire to balance body and mind through training and development. We are committed to teaching the art of peace, non-violence, self control, self defense, respect, compassion, and the prevention of violence. We aim to temper mental and physical self discipline through diligent study, to inspire personal character development, challenge creativity, academic excellence, the appreciation of civil society and healthy lifestyles with pro-active, communicative approaches. Enso Center is committed to the support, promotion, documentation, archival and teaching of these living arts, and to the preservation of their common, fundamental lifeline - the direct, teacher to student, art-transmission "living treasure" discipline lifestyle. We believe that in order to learn more about peace, nature, community, and the arts, one must study, practice, and manifest a commitment to them in daily life. We build new bridges, and professional cross disciplinary alliances, as a venue for an association of families, artists, students and teachers dedicated to healthy, safe communities, human rights, community service, diversity, pluralistic values, to promoting better understanding between different cultures, and to teaching the peaceful resolution of conflict through their artistic disciplines. These unique educational programs bring cross cultural communication and conflict management strategies, emphasising fun, learning, creativity, appreciation, international understanding, motivation, and tolerance to the front lines of our communities and schools. The Enso Center admits students of any race, color, gender, religion, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to its students. It does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, gender, religion, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and other athletic or school administered programs. For more information please contact: info@enso-center.org. à © Copyright Enso Center, January 1995 All Rights Reserved For comments, questions, or information about this website contact: info@enso-center.org
