Garry Kasparov launches Chess Foundation in Europe

Garry Kasparov launches Chess Foundation in Europe

BRUSSELS, Belgium – June 8, 2011 – Garry Kasparov, the world's most legendary chess player, and Jan Callewaert, Founder of Option, today announced the creation of the Kasparov Chess Foundation Europe. The mission of this non-profit organization will be to bring the many educational benefits of chess to children and young people – aged between six and eighteen - throughout schools in Europe, both public and private, by providing a complete chess curriculum and enrichment programs. The Foundation will also promote the study of chess as a cognitive learning tool and organize tournaments and competitions for children and young people.

The Foundation will be based in Brussels, where a core team has started the preparations for the operational rollout of the Foundation scheduled for mid September 2011. Financial support for the working of the Foundation will be sought via charitable donations from individuals, private foundations, corporate sponsors and government support.

The Kasparov Chess Foundation Europe is the second foundation started by Garry Kasparov. In June of 2002, Kasparov Chess Foundation, Inc. was founded in the United States. KCF has developed and published the program "Teaching Chess Step by Step", with more than 3500 schools from all 50 US states signing up for the program.

Garry Kasparov, chairman of the Foundation, states: "With the creation of the Kasparov Chess Foundation Europe it is my ambition to further realize the dream of bringing chess into classrooms far and wide so that everyone may enjoy the many benefits the game offers. I'm looking forward to setting up a close collaboration with European institutions to
bring chess into schools in the 27 current member states of the European Union."

Jan Callewaert, co-founder and member of the Board of the Foundation, commented: "I'm excited to be part of this new European wide chess initiative. We have come to know Garry very well these past years via the Belgian chess event "Your Next Move". When he raised the idea of creating the Kasparov Chess Foundation Europe it was a nobrainer
to get involved in this project. As chess can bring so many benefits to a great number of people I fully support the Foundation's mission and its activities."

Schools and chess teachers that are interested in the activities of the Foundation can go to www.kcfe.eu and sign up to receive news updates as the activities of the Foundation get underway.

The press material contained the outline of the main points:

Mission
"To bring the many educational benefits of
chess to children and young people
throughout schools in Europe by providing
a complete chess curriculum and
enrichment programs"

• Founded in 2002
• Wide range of activities
  • Curriculum Programs
  • Extended-Day Programs
  • Community-based Classes
  • Teacher Training
  • Organization of Tournaments
  • Publishing & Distribution of Chess Educational Literature
• 3.500 schools from all 50 US states have signed up to a program

• Non-profit organization
• Funded via contributions
• Reaching out to children and youngsters between 6 – 18 years
• Active in all 27 European Union member states

1. Provide chess-teaching methodology
2. Provide training and materials to schools
3. Organise and support chess events towards target audience
4. Work with the EU government to promote chess and to make it part of the educational system
5. Research and provide information about the educational benefits of chess
6. Promote chess within the EU

• HQ in Brussels
• Start-up team in place
• Fully operational as from September 19, 2011
• Communication tools will include: website and strong social media component with activities on Twitter,
  Facebook, Hyves etc.

• Joint project between:
  • European Commission
  • Kasparov Chess Foundation Europe
  • European Chess Union (ECU)
• Objective:
  • Jointly develop a comprehensive chess curriculum to be adopted in the schools programs in the countries of the European Union
• Phased approach:
  1. Research & Analysis
  2. Production of Teaching Materials
  3. Teacher Training
  4. Launch of Pilot Program
  5. Limited Program Roll-Out, 2012-2013 Academic School Year
  6. EU-Wide Launch - 2013

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