Chess in education, chess for people with disabilities, or the support fund for distinguished chess seniors? Which social project would you like to support? 

NOW YOU CAN ALSO HELP: http://donations.fide.com/ 

In connection with the FIDE World Corporate Chess Championship, we have organized a fundraiser. All participant companies have been asked to make a donation towards one of these 3 social projects. But you can also contribute, and your help would be more valuable now than ever before. 

You can make a donation using this link: https://give.softgiving.com/FIDE 

Right after entering your name, you will find a drop-down menu where you can choose what project do you want to support with your money. 

We are preparing some gifts and exciting surprises to be raffled off among all those who contribute with a donation, as a recognition of your generosity. But more importantly: whichever project you choose, you will be supporting a worthy cause.

FIDE Social projects for 2021 

For the International Chess Federation, organizing chess competitions is not the only mission. Like every other sports association, the competitive aspects are just a means to achieve higher goals. Below you will find information about three social projects we are currently implementing. 

Chess a tool that helps to make people smarter – through a game that is fun to play. Particularly for children, it allows them to develop their intellectual skills. Chess is also a great equalizer: it helps every child to reach their full potential, regardless of their background. The game can also make a huge impact in the lives of people with physical disabilities, by providing them with an activity in which they can compete on absolutely equal terms, boosting their self-esteem. Chess can also improve the lives of our senior citizens since the game has proven benefits in preventing cognitive ageing and general brain decline.

CHESS IN EDUCATION 

FIDE needs to develop learning materials and prepare teachers to develop the potential of chess as a tool for education. Our program of seminars has to be expanded where the demand is increasing, Asia, Africa, and the U.S. Lectures and conferences have to be intensified in those countries where there is untapped potential. 

Chess helps us to identify talent. FIDE must nurture this talent and help brilliant children to achieve their potential. Some poor countries can’t afford to send representatives to the World Youth Chess Events. We must work to ensure that no one is left out, especially for economic reasons.

CHESS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES 

In 2020, FIDE successfully launched the First Online Chess Olympiad for People with Disabilities, in which more than 400 athletes from 45 countries took part. We have ambitious plans to expand this competition further and make chess even more accessible to everyone. We are currently developing an online platform that will allow people with a 100% visual impairment to play chess games online. The goal is that this platform gives them access to all functionalities and possibilities that you would normally find available at any other online chess club. 

The potential of chess in this area is huge, not only in terms of leisure or sport, but also in terms of meeting the need for communication, cognitive development, and expanding communication capabilities of people with impairments. 

FIDE CHESS VETERANS SUPPORT PROGRAM 

In 2013, FIDE decided to introduce a contribution towards giving back a little to those who, having devoted their entire life to chess, find themselves now in an unstable financial situation. Since then, almost 200 distinguished chess veterans from over 40 different countries have benefitted from this program. Among the recipients, there are individuals representing all bodies and categories: players, coaches, and arbiters. 

The pandemic has made the situation of our seniors much more challenging since this age group is particularly vulnerable. As a result, many have lost their source of income. Donations to the FIDE Chess Veterans Support program will help prominent chess figures that have contributed enormously to the growth of our sport over time, a support that is much needed in these difficult times.