This year, residents of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous District of Russia celebrate the 85th anniversary of the region. FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov congratulated Ugra residents on behalf of the International Chess Federation:
"In the twenty-first century your region become one of the largest chess centers in the country and in the world. Here was organized by about a dozen of the most important events, including the World Chess Olympiad, the FIDE Congress, four of the World Cup, World Championships, Grand Prix FIDE.
In Khanty-Mansiysk built a beautiful Chess palace in which are the most important championships, placed academy and a museum. The program "Chess in Schools" is actively developing, thanks to which thousands of boys and girls can learn the basics of the wise and ancient game on the planet. Gens una sumus!", - it said in a congratulatory letter.
