High-level meeting at the UN: “Chess for recovering better”

A tool to improve the world

Press release by FIDE

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The virtual meeting between the United Nations and FIDE on the occasion of the International Chess Day was held on July 20. Top chess personalities and representatives of the U.N. gathered to exchange views and insights to strengthen the productive collaboration.

In his welcoming speech, H.E. Mr. Mher Margaryan, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Armenia to the United Nations, nodded to the chess movement's success in Armenia where the game is a part of the schools’ curriculum. “Lessons offered by chess are important in teaching such values as respect for rules and players, fairness, equality, and discipline. Chess is essentially about progress and continuous quest for improvement with effort and decency,” he said.

FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich (pictured) thanked the United Nations for their support and noted that “together, we can make chess a tool to improve the world and create better societies.”

Melissa Ruth Fleming, Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, was very positive about the opportunities that chess brings to communities and individuals. “Today is the celebration of the intellectual game that for centuries has also managed to entertain, to stimulate and sometimes even to confound billions of us over the world,” she said.

Top chess grandmasters present at the meeting, Viswanathan Anand, Hou Yifan, Vladimir Kramnik and Levon Aronian, shared the valuable insights into the abilities and life lessons that chess taught them. Anand dived into the history of chess, while Hou Yifan concentrated on the psychological aspects of the game and women empowerment issues. Kramnik mentioned that scientific studies had proved the benefits of the game for kids.

“No matter how good you are at chess, you are going to lose games. The ability to cope with negative emotions is one of the best things I learned from chess”, said Levon Aronian.

Various issues and aspects of the development of chess were discussed in a friendly and supportive atmosphere. This meeting laid the foundation for further fruitful cooperation between FIDE and the United Nations.

Full meeting

Calming nerves during covid-19 pandemic

From the UN News website

“Today is a day of celebration for an intellectual game that for centuries has managed to entertain, stimulate and sometimes even confound millions of us, the world over”, Melissa Fleming, Under-Secretary-General of UN Global Communications said, at a virtual commemorative event.

“And as we celebrate, we remind ourselves of the special value that a game such as chess is bringing to so many people during this awful COVID-19 pandemic”, she added.

In her keynote address, the UN communications chief noted that the pandemic represents a physical, social and economic crisis – imposing restrictions on everyone and rendering sports that can be played online, or at a safe physical distance, more important than ever. 

“They feed our lifelong sense of play…nurture our passion and enthusiasm… refresh our minds and bodies…distract us from troubles, and reduce our anxieties”, said Ms. Fleming.

According to reports, the pandemic has spurred a surge in chess, with more players coming together online, to compete and enjoy the game.

...continue reading at the UN News website

Links

• Four excellent reads to celebrate International Chess Day
• Teach someone how to play chess on #InternationalChessDay