The International Chess Federation FIDE, in collaboration with The Gift of Chess, Dadaz Chess Academy, and the Malawi Prison Service (Lilongwe, Malawi) are pleased to announce the 2025 Chess for Freedom Continental Chess Championship for Africa and Workshop, scheduled to take place from May 12 – May 14, 2025, in Lilongwe, Malawi. This will be the first in-person Chess for Freedom Conference for Africa. We are very grateful for our partners, Malawi Prison Department and all the participating correctional facilities around Africa. Invitations are extended to all previous online intercontinental event participants from Africa and those who aspire to start the chess in prison program. The event is open only for representatives of Africa.
Chess for Freedom – Workshop Goals
- To debrief on the outcomes from past online intercontinental chess events, hosted by FIDE and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, including highlighting notable event accomplishments from Africa, and identifying improvement areas.
- To introduce the Chess for Freedom program to new African countries and support them with information to be part of the program and share its impact in other countries.
- To discuss engagement strategies for potential partners associated with the Chess for Freedom program.
- To have an Africa Continental Championship.
The Workshop event schedule is as follows:
May 11: Guests arrival. Welcome dinner
May 12: Workshop featuring various breakout topics.
May 13: Maula Prison tour – men and Juveniles (includes meeting with Prison administration and staff). Continental Championship for Africa on-line tournament
May 14: Trip to Malawi Lake. Guests departure.
“The prison officials see that in the places where the chess program is implemented, the behavior of the individuals in-custody changes, depression and stress levels decrease, they are better with socialization skills when they leave the facility. It’s not only about the skills and another way of spending free time, but also the sense of belonging to a community, to the chess family. We’ve been working a lot to advocate for a program itself, but the examples of the other countries work even better,” says Deputy Chair of the FIDE Management Board Dana Reizniece-Ozola about the rapid growth of the program all over the world.
Chess for Freedom Workshop – Lodging Details
The official hotel for the Chess for Freedom Workshop is the Lifestyle Boutique Hotel by Umodzi Park, Lilongwe in Malawi. All attendees are required to register for the workshop by signing up HERE.
The Workshop program will include:
- Welcome from the Ministry of Homeland Security of Malawi
- Presentation by the FIDE – Dana Ozola Reizniece or Andre Vogtlin
- Chess for Freedom program overview – Mikhail Korenmann
- Chess for Freedom program in Malawi with the Gift of Chess support in Africa – Susan Namangale
- Chess Impact for young offenders in Ghana – David Amcheapong
- Nation-wide Chess for Freedom program in Kenya – PS Salome Beacco/Phyllis Ngingi
- Round-table discussion include prison authorities and participants of the Chess for Freedom project.
Chess for Freedom Workshop – Contact Information
Susan Namangale
Dadaz Chess Founder / Gift of Chess Ambassador
FIDE Schools Instructor and Member of FIDE PDC Commission.
E-mail dadazchess22@gmail.com
WhatsApp: +265999951477 Rafiq Namangale Chief Operations Officer
FIDE Developmental Instructor /Dadaz Chess Coach
E-mail rafiqjames03@gmail.com WhatsApp: +265993701492