Chess4Solidarity Strengthens Ties Between Countries

By Stav Brener, Jewish Federation & Foundation of Northeast Florida Community Shaliach

Chess4Solidarity is a peer-to-peer (P2P) initiative that strengthens ties between countries and promotes camaraderie through the game of chess while influencing diplomatic relations and a growing fondness for the State of Israel.

The organization is recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a positive intercultural initiative. Events have received endorsements from celebrities, ambassadors, and politicians with an international staff of arbiters and commentators. More than $40,000 has been awarded to players and we’ve donated chess equipment to five countries.

Started in May 2020 when COVID-19 brought restrictions and quarantines to Israel, Chess4All and Israeli chess players had the option to compete with online participants only. The first event was on Holocaust Remembrance Day with Haim Arbiv, a holocaust survivor, telling his story and playing chess against his opponents. The next event was organized by my friend, Alon Cohen, as the Blitz Battle between teams called Sons of Ibraim and Abraham. Players from Arab countries participated with more than 8,000 players worldwide.

As the Founder, the initiative has great meaning for players and the bonds created are important to me. I was boycotted four years ago from entering a world chess championship that was held in Saudi Arabia because of my Israeli nationality. I spent more than a year launching media campaigns and a legal process in order to make a change. I now have friends who are players and organizers from many countries who don't have diplomatic connections with Israel. It is a personal triumph.

We’ve held more than 30 events with thousands of viewers and bring visibility to relationships between more than 150 countries with acceptance from key infl uencers and from chess notables including Gary Kasparov and Judith Polgar. We create an environment of playing well together and not against each other.

We hope to hold courses and international events with delegations that travel to and from Israel and online events between countries. Our plan is to have more than 1,000 players in each event and online groups with more than 20,000 members.

Anyone can play chess at all levels. For example, in remembrance of the Holocaust, we will share testimonials and include ongoing information on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/chess�all.

I would like to thank my staff of arbiters, commentators and organizations, and individuals who support us; the ambassadors of Israel for their cooperation; and, participants interested in connecting through the cultural language of chess. Contact Lior Aizenberg at +��2�2���2���, email Chess�all��@gmail.com.