CHAPTER I

NATIONAL PROGRAM AND INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM

ARTICLE 1. National Program and International Program of teaching

1.1. The International teaching program is the official program of Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao on an international scale approved by the 5th World Congress of Master of Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao on 31-07-2004 Texas-USA. It is valid worldwide, and therefore, the countries members of the World Federation of Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao will have to apply it and respect it.

1.2. All national federations have the right to write a teaching program for their country to meet the regulatory requirements of their sports ministry, provided they follow these rules :

1. 1. The national program, if exist, must be submitted to the International Technical Commission for official recognition.
   2. The differences between the two programs (national and international) of teaching shall not exceed 20%.
   3. Countries members do not have the right to change or remove materials such as  « Quyền » or « Song Luyện », which are already specified in the International teaching program, but they can add them if necessary.

1.3. The International program of teaching shall apply formally for the countries members no having their own program or who have not yet submitted their program at the International Technical Commission. In any litigation, it will be the World Council of teachers who will judge.

1.4. The International program of teaching is the official program for groups, associations, training centers, clubs... countries members no having the capacity of a federal structure.

1.5. The system of ranks and the teaching program: the international Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao system of ranks and International teaching program are two correlated areas that cannot be separated, since the International teaching program is based on the system of ranks, duration and title defined in the international Convention of the system of ranks. Therefore, the national program of teaching must respect the international system of ranks of Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao, which is formalized by the International Convention of ranks.

ARTICLE 2. Recognition of the ranks and the teaching program

International degrees may be recognized by the World Masters and the World Federation of Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao if countries members meet:

2.1. The international program of teaching.

2.2. The effective International Convention of the ranks.

2.3. The items described in this International Convention of teaching program.

ARTICLE 3. Respect of the International Convention

Member countries are signatories to this Convention shall uphold and respect the chapters, articles and sections of the latter. This will be the World Council of teachers who will be the organ competent to judge for violations of the rules of this Convention.

CHAPTER II

LOGO – CLOTHES (VÕ PHỤC) – FLAGS

ARTICLE 4. The logo of the Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao worldwide

4.1. The official logo of Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao Worldwide was approved at the 5th World Congress of the masters in Houston, Texas-USA, through the following two equivalent models :

4.2. Colors and regulated dimensions :

ARTICLE 5. The right to use the logo of Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao worldwide

5.1. The logo of Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao worldwide is a registered trademark in WIPO (WIPO: the World Intellectual Property Organization) by the Federation of Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao France.

5.2. The federation Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao France, delegates to the World Federation of Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao management issue and authorization for the right to use on an international scale.

5.3. All federations and associations, members of the World Federation of Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao, can use the logo of Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao worldwide in his country that they have the license issued by the President of the World Federation. All unauthorized use will be punished by justice.

ARTICLE 6. Clothing (Võ phục) of Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao worldwide

6.1. The color of the clothing of Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao World is formally defined : blue sky in the International System of colors :

• Color name : Bleu Electric : xxxxxxxxx
• Hexa Code : #2C75FF
• RVB Code : 44| 117| 255
• CMJN Code : 83| 54| 0| 0
• TSL Code : 219| 100| 59

6.2. The model of the clothing of Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao Worldwide is a twofold jacket (see picture below) :

6.3. Arrangements on clothing must conform to the following :

1. The logo of Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao World must be sewn on the left side at the chest of the jacket.
2. The name of the practitioner - not obligatory -: sewed on the right side at chest level of the jacket, it must meet the following criteria :
   1. • Primary level (Sơ cấp) : The characters of the name must be in Yellow on the Blue background.
      • Middle level (Trung cấp) : The characters of the name must be in Red on the Yellow background.
      • Higher Level (Cao đẳng) : the characters of the name must be in White on the Red background.
      • Supreme level (Thượng đẳng) : the characters of the name must be in  Red on the White background.
3. It is strictly forbidden to add as embroidery (images, logos, badges ...) on the holding, except for two cases exceptionally tolerated:
   • Name of the country, federation, region, or Training Center.
   • The official flag of the country.
4. For embroidered letters must meet the following criteria : :
   • They should be embroidered on the right shoulder or back of the jacket as: "Senegal", "Team France", "Team Canada", "Federation Burkinabe" ... or "Paris", "Geneva", "Vancouver "," Võ đường Hoa Lu, "Club Brussels"…
   • The colors of the letters can be chosen from the four (4) following shades: Blue, Yellow, Red and White.
5. In the case of the official flag of the country, it must be on the right shoulder of the jacket.

ARTICLE 7. Flag / banner Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao in the country

Every country has the right to have their own flags/banners of Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao for ceremonies, or international competitions, provided they meet the following criteria :

7.1. Dimension of the flag required : 110cm x 70cm (see model of flag Article 7.3)

7.2. The contents of the flag is divided into three (3) distinct parts :

1. The upper part is reserved for the name of the country or federation. Example: "BELGIUM", "CANADA", "MOROCCO" ... or "Federation France", "Federation TEXAS", "GERMAN Federation".
2. The middle part must have the logo in a circle of "Positive-Negative" of Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao World.
3. The name of Martial Art "Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao" is in the lower part of the flag. Member countries have the choice of font characters based on the flag pattern. See models - Article 7.3

7.3. Two color models for the banner / flag of Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao national :

CHAPTER III

RINKS – TITLES

ARTICLE 8. The ranks in the Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao Worldwide

8.1. According to international Convention ranks, Article 9, Chapter II, The grading system of Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao Worldwide consists of two systems: "Traditional System" and "International System". Both are recognized. Member countries can apply them according to their organization :

8.2. The regulated dimensions of the strips :

1. 1. Color of the belt : according to grades defined in section 8.1
   2. Length of the belt : Once tied, the belt must not exceed the knees.
   3. Strips of degrees : must be sewn on one side of the belt with a minimum distance of 80mm and a maximum of 120mm from the beginning of the belt.
   4. Width of the strips : minimum 8mm and maximum 10mm.
   5. Distance between strips : minimum 8mm and maximum 12mm.
   6. Except the name "Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao," it is forbidden to have other embroidery, logos, letters, … on the belt

ARTICLE 9. Title

The official title is based on the ranking system :

CHAPTER IV

THE 9 FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF VOVINAM-VIET VO DAO WORLDWID

ARTICLE 10. The 9 Fundamental principles of Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao worldwide

The ten basic principles of Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao were developed in 1964 in Vietnam. They were amended in nine international principles, at the 7th World Congress of Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao May 28, 2012 in Paris.

All practitioners must understand the meaning of nine basic principles and apply them :

1. 1. Build up himself in the way to serve fellow men.
   2. Develop Vovinam Viet Vo Dao, build a generation of the true man to serve a world of solidarity.
   3. Respect the law, deontology and place honor above all.
   4. Respect of elder people, help the weak, love classmates and fellow men.
   5. Respect the other martial arts and use the Vovinam Viet Vo Dao only in case of self-defense and for a just cause.
   6. Never submit itself in front of the tyranny nor in front of the repression.
   7. Live with purity, simplicity, frankness and honesty.
   8. Be Lucid in the perception, persevering in the fight, and skillful in the action.
   9. Be master of himself, modest and tolerant

CHAPTER V

BEHAVIOR OF THE PRACTITIONER

ARTICLE 11. Behavior of the Follower face to face of the belt

When the practitioner is in his Vo Phuc with his belt, he became a practicing Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao authentic. He must behave with seriousness, respect for discipline. It must respect the following rules on grades :

11.1. The belt and the rank show :

1. Yourself, the practitioner of Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao.
2. The practitioner of Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao as you are, compared to people outside of the martial art Vovinam VVD.
3. The result of your own master or your teacher.
4. Your seniority in the Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao.
5. Your level.

Therefore, the practitioner must respect his rank.

11.2. The behavior of the practitioner when in uniform and tie belt, show :

1. The honor of the practitioner
2. The image of your master or your teacher
3. The image of the Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao

Therefore the practitioner of Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao has to be always attentive to his behavior.

11.3. Never :

1. Throw his belt on the floor or leave it in a dirty place.
2. Always well keep his belt.

11.4. When the belt is undone or badly tied: we must move into position in one knee (right knee) to reconnect with all the rigor and seriousness that it is needed before getting up.

11.5. When the practitioner has his belt tied, it is forbidden to have activities such as: eating, drinking, smoking, having fun (heckle), a walk in the street ... You must remove his belt and store it or put it on shoulders before.

11.6. Masters and teachers : must set the example and correct practitioners whose behavior does not conform to regulations on the  belts and grades system.

ARTICLE 12. The behavior of the practitioner in the training room

The training room is where the practitioner receives the technical and philosophical teachings of Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao. There is the portrait of Master Founder Nguyen Loc. Therefore all people have to respect the following rules :

12.1. Behavior in training room :

1. Not playing, not fighting, not to speak indiscriminately.
2. Before entering or before leaving the training area, you must salute, in first, the portrait of Master Founder, and then the master or teacher, the person responsible for the course, even if it is graded. Because the person who directs the course has the responsibility and the highest in the training room.
3. Before the course begins, the practitioner must salute all people whose rank is higher than his own.
4. It is forbidden to throw down or put in a dirty, unsafe edged weapon: knife, sword, stick….

12.2. Relations in training room :

It is not recommended to use familiar terms in the training room.

CHAPTER VI

CLOTHES AND ACTIVITIES

ARTICLE 13. The Vo Phuc and the rank Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao

13.1. The masters, teachers and practitioners must be held (Vo Phuc) with the belt for :

1. Trainings.
2. Seminars, courses, exam grades, cups, competitions.
3. The Official meetings of the National or International Council of Masters.
4. The celebrations of the foundation, belts for majors of exam grade.

13.2. Wearing Vo Phuc may be exempted for cases :

1. The old masters, which are not healthy.
2. The masters handicapped or depending on their health.

ARTICLE 14. Civilian clothes

14.1. Wearing civilian clothes for occasions following.

1. Defense of Masters thesis in special cases.
2. The theory exams or seminars on the theory / philosophy.
3. Meetings of associations or federations.
4. Board meetings unofficial national or international (no subject to voting).
5. Public activities such as camping, singing, travel, presentations, ...

CHAPTER VII

ADMINISTRATIVE - AMENDMENTS TO THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION

ARTICLE 15. Amendments to the International Convention

15.1. All masters, international organizations, member countries have the right to propose changes to chapters, articles, and sections of this Convention.

15.2. The proposed changes must be submitted to the World Council of Masters, two months before the date of opening of Congress.

ARTICLE 16. Validity  

16.1. The International Convention for teaching Vovinam-Viet Vo Dao contains 7 chapters and 16 articles.

• Is approved by the 7th World Congress of the Masters in Paris, France, 28-05-2012. And takes effect from 01-07-2012.