Number of FIDE members surpasses 200 with Vanuatu and Tonga joining
With the inclusion of Vanuatu and Tonga at the recent meeting of the General Assembly, the International Chess Federation now counts 201 member federations worldwide The FIDE General Assembly, which took place in the second week of December, decided to approve the applications of two new member federations – Vanuatu and Tonga, bringing the number of members to 201. Also, New Caledonia was included as an Affiliated Member. The Vanuatu Chess Federation was established in 2022 to promote chess on the island. So far, it has had over 400 young people take part in various chess events. “We are aiming to make a chess part of the lives of people living in Port Vila and the islands. We also want to use it as a tool to engage young people out of school or work to help them think differently. We hope that chess will be recognized as a sport in Vanuatu and people will enjoy watching and following it as they do playing it,” VP of the Vanuatu Chess Federation Rik Hinton said in a letter to FIDE. Tonga, another Pacific island nation, inaugurated its chess federation in 2023 with a profound mission: “To promote chess at every echelon of society, leveraging it as a catalyst for social and intellectual development, benefiting all individuals.” GM Nigel Short, FIDE’s Development Director, made visits to both Vanuatu and Tonga in 2022, laying the groundwork for their inclusion in FIDE. Short expressed his joy at the news, stating: “This is a momentous occasion for chess in Vanuatu and Tonga, as well as for FIDE as a whole. Chess transcends boundaries, offering numerous advantages. It is essential that the game is accessible to all, giving a sense of belonging within our global chess community. We are thrilled to extend a warm welcome to them within FIDE.” The additions of Vanuatu and Tonga further signify FIDE’s commitment to expanding the reach of chess and developing its growth to all corners of the world.
UAE hosts Asian Educational Seminar “Chess for children with ASD. Learn & Teach”
The International Chess Federation (FIDE), together with the Asian Chess Federation and Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination, with the support of the International Olympic Committee, FIDE Planning and Development Commission, and FIDE Social Commission, hold the first offline Asian Educational Seminar “Chess for children with ASD. Learn & Teach”. The event took place at the Al Ain Convention Center, UAE, from December 18 to 19. Twenty-one chess teachers and coaches from 14 countries (Bangladesh, Vietnam, Azerbaijan, UAE, Sri Lanka, Lebanon, Philippines, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and others) explored the ways of teaching chess to children with autism spectrum disorder, studied a unique training program developed in 2021 and got practical advice on how to work with kids with ASD. The following prominent figures participated in the seminar: Hisham al Taher, General Secretary of the Asian Chess Federation Abdulla Ismail Alkamali, Executive Director of Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination (UAE) Dana Reizniece-Ozola, Project Supervisor, Deputy Chair of the FIDE Management Board Anastasia Sorokina, Leader of the project, FIDE WOM Chair, Chairperson of Asian Chess Federation Social Commission Speakers at the seminar: Ala Mishchanka – Special needs educational assistant, more than 17 years of experience (Canada); Natalia Popova – WIM, FIDE Trainer, leader of the two-year-long project teaching chess to children with autistic spectrum disorder (FIDE); Melodi Dincel – MD, child and adolescent psychiatry specialist at Istanbul University, Infinite Chess project partner (Turkey) Viesturs Kapce – FIDE Instructor, chess coach, Infinite Chess project partner (Latvia) All participants were honoured to visit the Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination in Al Ain and exchange teaching experiences with local experts. We thank Abdulla Ismail Alkamali for the hospitality and inspiring tour he provided personally for all the participants and the project team. On December 19, FIDE, the Asian Chess Federation and Zayed Higher organization signed a Tripartite Memorandum of Understanding, a significant step forward to the further cooperation and expansion of partnership within the Infinite Chess project. “Infinite Chess is our project where we use the game to improve socio-emotional wellbeing of children with autistic spectrum disorder. With this agreement we aim to provide new opportunities, empower and change lives of children with special abilities here in the region,” said Dana Reizniece-Ozola, Project Supervisor and Deputy Chair of the FIDE Management Board. Presentations (pdf): Chess for Children with Autism and Spectrum Disorder by Natalia Popova – Part 1 Chess for Children with Autism and Spectrum Disorder by Natalia Popova – Part 2 Classroom Organization by Natalia Popova FIDE Infinite Chess Project by Ala Mischanka – Day 1 FIDE Infinite Chess Project by Ala Mischanka – Day 2 Infinite Chess – Turkey by Melodi Dincel Infinite Chess – Latvia Experience by Viesturs Kapce