FIDE to support chess development in Belarus
02 June 2015 10:37 | Sport
MINSK, 2 June (BelTA) – Chief Executive Officer of the World Chess Federation (FIDE) Geoffrey Borg expressed intention to provide all possible assistance to Belarus in the popularization and further development of chess. The issue was discussed in the recent talks between representatives of FIDE and Belarus’ Sports and Tourism Ministry, BelTA learnt from the ministry’s press service.
Mr. Geoffrey Borg noted that he is well aware of the chess situation in Belarus and stressed that FIDE had focused its attention on assisting the development of this ancient type of sport in the post-Soviet space. In his words, many countries (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) did a lot of work to create necessary conditions for playing chess, its introduction into the general education program. Mr. Geoffrey Borg expressed readiness in providing assistance in introducing FIDE’s Chess in Schools project in Belarus.
According to Belarus’ Deputy Sports and Tourism Minister Alexander Dubkovsky, chess is a traditionally popular kind of sport in Belarus that has been developing across the country. In his, words, over 4,000 young chess players hone their skills at 30 chess departments of the children’s and youth sport schools as well as at children’s creativity centers. “The Sports and Tourism Ministry jointly with the Belarusian Chess Federation and the Education Ministry has been working on introducing chess into the general education system. This type of sport is useful in any age. It helps develop logic, train memory and find the best solution to the problem,” Alexander Dubkovsky stressed. He also told the representatives of FIDE about the successes of Belarusian chess players at international competitions. Belarusians won 20 medals at the world and European championships last year alone.
The talks in the Belarusian Sports and Tourism Ministry also highlighted issues related to the preparations for the European Rapid and Blitz Championships that is due in Minsk on 17-20 December 2015. It is expected that the Belarusian capital will welcome nearly 700 participants of the championships.
Source: http://eng.belta.by
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