John van Weenen

Who is John van Weenen?

John van Weenen OMT MBE is an 8th Dan karateka and humanitarian.

Van Weenen was graded to 1st Dan by Moss Hollis in 1966, before travelling to Japan in 1967 to train at the invitation of Masutatsu Oyama at the Kyokushinkai Headquarters.In fact, John decided to train under Hirokazu Kanazawa and registered at the JKA Honbu in Tokyo.

He started the Traditional Association of Shotokan Karate in Bedford, Bedfordshire, whose guest instructors included Bob Poynton, Ticky Donovan and Sean Roberts.

Van Weenen is the Executive Director of Task Force Albania, a humanitarian organisation that has provided over £7 million in aid to Albania since the end of communism in the country in 1991. In 1993, he was the first person to receive the Order of Mother Teresa in Albania for his work, and this was re-presented by Mother Teresa herself in Calcutta. In 1999, he was awarded the MBE by Prince Charles and the citation read: 'For services to the children of Albania'

Later that year he established the British Children's Library network, and in November the first library was inaugurated in Tirana, Albania's Capital..