FIDE Vice-president Anastasia Sorokina visited France in mid-December and had several working meetings with French chess officials, including one with the President of the French Chess Federation (Fédération Française des Echecs or FFE), Mr Eloi Relange.
The parties discussed various social chess activities while the President of «Health Social Handicap» Commission of FFE, Mr Franck Droin, told about ambitious programs of the FFE.
On December 15, a meeting with the Social Commission of the FFE was held in Paris at which Mrs Sorokina presented the INFINITE FIDE project. Commencing from January 2022, FIDE plans to launch Infinite pilot projects in France, Spain, Norway, South Africa and Gibraltar.
Several meetings with partners of the "Santé Social Handicap" Commission were organized, including one with TelaDoc Health France, a world leader in telemedicine. The directors of its French subsidiary and the FFE are considering a partnership in the pilot project INFINITE in France. FIDE also stresses the importance of the collaboration with AESIO Mutuelle, one of France's non-profit health insurance leaders.
Another meeting was held with an autism expert from MOOVEN, specializing in adapted physical activity. It is deemed that a pilot innovation project combining physical activity and the game of chess can be deployed for children with autism spectrum disorder in France.
At the end of the round table, moderated by Franck Droin and chaired by Eloi Relange, Dr Maurice Bensoussan, President of the French Psychiatric Society and member of the "Santé Social Handicap" Commission, stated that the progress in the INFINITE project would be discussed at national congresses in France.
The FFE, represented by Eloi Relange and Franck Droin, expressed deep satisfaction with the cooperation in the INFINITE project for children with ASD and proposed deploying its 3zen program, aimed at demonstrating the contribution of chess to concentration'', internationally in liaison with FIDE.
A relevant document will be prepared by FFE and sent to FIDE in January of 2022.
FFE plans to organize an official event on March 9, 2022, to present the progress report on the programs, including those carried out in partnership with FIDE.
