FIDE President visited Russian State Duma

On June 16, the FIDE President visited the Russian State Duma. Kirsan Ilyumzhinov was invited to attend the meeting of the State Duma Committee on Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs, where he met with Dmitry Svishchev, the Committee’s Chairman, and Alexander Sherin, first Deputy Chairman of the Committee. At the meeting also present was Ms. Natalia Parshikova, State Secretary, Deputy Minister of Sports of Russia.
The Committee’s meeting started with the award ceremony and Kirsan Ilyumzhinov was awarded the Diploma of Honour for his contribution to the popularization and development of chess around the Russian Federation. Kirsan Ilyumzhinov told the committee’s members about the history of FIDE and its main achievements, projects, plans and shared the experience of FIDE working with the parliaments of other countries. He proposed to consider the possibilities of enacting the chess decree for its further implementation in the school curriculum of Russian schools. In addition, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov proposed that the Duma deputies play chess against their counterparts from the USA within the framework of the World Championship match, which will be held in New York. Then Kirsan Ilyumzhinov met with Deputy of the State Duma, Anatoly Karpov. The 12th World Chess Champion told about his chess projects in Russia (in Tyumen Oblast where he was elected to the parliament) and abroad including penitentiary institutions. Kirsan Ilyumzhinov told Mr. Karpov about the results of the Committee’s meeting and his proposals, and invited him to take part in the parliament match. In conclusion, the FIDE President held a meeting with Ilya Ananiev, the Chairman of the primary trade union organization of the Office of State Duma. Kirsan Ilyumzhinov thanked Mr. Ananiev for supporting the State Duma chess team and the chess events held within the walls of the Russian parliament and further joint projects have been discussed.