Armenia’s Chess in Schools program produces unique results

YEREVAN, January 21. /ARKA/. Armenia has accounted for unique results in implementing Chess in Schools program, International Chess Federation (FIDE) President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov was quoted by Novosti-Armenia News Agency as saying at a news conference called on Saturday as part of FIDE board’s session held in Tsakhkadzor, one of the most popular resorts in Armenia. 

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, who is also the president of Armenian National Chess Federation, attended this session.  

Ilyumzhinov said that Armenia had unanimously been chosen to host this meeting, since the Armenian National Chess Federation gives a good example to other national federations of successful development of chess.   

He said that that as a rule, many issued are discussed at the FIDE board’s meetings, but this time the meeting was mainly focused on Chess in Schools program. 

“Armenia, its education ministry and national chess federation has showed as this program works, since not a single country’s chess federation has reached such results,” he said. “Serzh Sargsyan is the first head of state to sign a decree on Chess in Schools program. Chess is consistently introduced in schools and considerable results are seen here. That is why the board members are here today to learn the experience of Armenian Chess Federation and introduce this model in our countries.” Ilyumzhinov said that this is the board’s first meeting in 2013, which “is taking place in such a wonderful country.” 

“We hold our meetings in different continents every quarter, We are pleased to open this chess year here in Armenia at the invitation of the national chess federation and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan,” he said.

 

Chess was included in Armenian schools’ curricula in 2011. 

The FIDE representatives called Armenia a real chess superpower and said its chess development experience can be useful for other countries. 

Armenian chess players won World Chess Olympiads in Turin in 2006, in Dresden in 2008 and in Istanbul in 2012.  -0-