FIDE President had a working trip to the UAE and held a meeting with Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development which was held in Abu Dhabi. The Parties discussed issues of mutual cooperation and noted that chess is now more promoted in the UAE. This is why it was decided to open a regional FIDE office in the Chess Palace in Sharjah and this decision was supported by the leader of the emirate.
The traditional Dubai Open tournaments has now become the most important chess event in the country. However a special place in history has been taken by the World Youth Chess Championships 2013 in Al Ain, which gathered together a record number of participants – 1800 chess players from more than 100 countries of the world. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan with great delight accepted an invitation from Kirsan Ilyumzhinov to visit the closing ceremony of the event.
Excellent idea.