Social Commission 2023
The FIDE Social Commission is in its fifth year. A lot has been accomplished in 2023 as well.
In October, we had a very productive conference in our project Chess for Freedom, which included a memorable visit to the Cook County jail in Chicago and the 3rd Intercontinental prison championship.
FIDE applied for the Anthem Award in New York with this long-term project run for more than ten years by Mikhail Korenmann and the Cook County jail. Over 50 countries competed in the championship. The prospects of winning the prize are excellent. This means that FIDE, its social commission, and its Chess for Freedom project will be known around the world for their contributions to society.
In September, a small FIDE delegation visited our project, Chess for Protection, which includes chess classes in the refugee camps of Kakuma and Kalobeyei in northern Kenya. Sonja Johnson successfully took up this crucial project in the spring. The goal of the tour was to achieve sustainability and gain project experience to offer this concept to other countries. This initiative arose from the commission’s extensive collaboration with Sonja and the commission’s consultant, Benard Wanjala. The Girls Club is a unique organization that provides girls with online chess sessions on Saturdays with a master trainer from Europe.
The UNHCR and the refugee community took notice of us at the Global Refugee Forum in December. Contacts with the IOC, UNHCR, and other partner organizations have been formed or strengthened. The International Chess Federation decided to allow refugee teams to compete in the Budapest Chess Olympiad during the FIDE Council meeting before the General Assembly. A huge accomplishment for social chess! A lot of work has also been done in the third large social chess project, Infinite Chess, for persons with autism, and a promising start in our smaller initiative for the elderly, addicts, and slums might be realized this year.
We will also celebrate FIDE100 with our social chess projects. We want the world to know that chess is more than just a game; it is a lifeline, especially for young people in need.
I would like to welcome Lasma Kokorevica, who joined our commission as Secretary in December and is already pulling the strings. sc.secretary@fide.com is her email address.
Chess, our beloved game, provides numerous benefits for various groups in our society. Various international bodies have taken note of this over the last five years. Many projects have been completed, and a great deal has been written about them. We are encouraged to continue working with our partners on the future of this project after winning the Anthem Award and having our efforts recognized at the UN level.
Special thanks go to all FIDE colleagues who support our Commission and programs, as well as the external partner organizations that make our work possible, particularly UNHCR and Cook Country Jail, which have been exceptionally supportive this year.
/André Vögtlin, chairman of FIDE Social Commission
