On August 6, as we have already reported, first President of Kalmykia, sixth President of FIDE Kirsan Ilyumzhinov paid a business visit to Volgograd. He visited the scientific and technical testing ground of PJSC LUKOIL, where he met with the Vice President of PJSC LUKOIL, Director of RITEK, LLC Nikolai Nikolaev. RITEK LLC specializes in the development, testing and implementation of new technologies for development of hard-to-recover hydrocarbon reserves and enhanced oil recovery.On the same day, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov went to Volgograd State University. There, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov gave a lecture on the development of chess, in particular, on the Chess in Schools project and how successfully this project is being implemented in Kalmykia. As a keepsake, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov left a note in the Volgograd State University (VolSU) guestbook.
“As part of a trip to Volgograd, sixth president of the International Chess Federation, Russian statesman and politician Kirsan Ilyumzhinov visited Volgograd State University and took part in the opening ceremony of a chess club at the university,” the university’s spokesperson said.
He noted that Ilyumzhinov also visited the Public Diplomacy Centre, which aim is to promote the positive image of the hero-city of Volgograd at the international level. He visited the unique centre of the Russian language and culture, the Russian Fund, and got acquainted with the activities of the House of Scientific Collaboration named after Z.Ermolyeva.
“In our House of Scientific Collaboration there are many opportunities for children's creativity in our region, and today we are opening one of the main clubs - a chess club. This game combines sports and science, develops logical thinking, perseverance, the ability to make decisions and even admit defeat. We are grateful to Kirsan Ilyumzhinov for agreeing to become a mentor and honorary leader of our new chess club, ”acting rector Alla Kalinina said.
Ilyumzhinov and Kalinina cut the symbolic ribbon and signed an agreement to open a new club. Anastasia Gurova, a graduate of VolSU, director of the Volgograd Chess Centre, also took part in the trilateral ceremony of signing the agreement. After the opening ceremony, four chess games were played in parallel. Kirsan Ilyumzhinov played simuls with young chess players from Volgograd and representatives of VolSU.
“It was very tense match, which once again proves that chess is really a sport. The chess club in VolSU has great development prospects. Today, I was acquainted with the work of the University's Centre for Public Diplomacy. I am a diplomat myself, and I can say that playing chess is similar to diplomatic negotiations. You need to calculate the moves, both your own and your opponent's. I am grateful to the leadership of Volgograd State University for providing such a pleasant mission. A start has been made, let’s work,” Ilyumzhinov said.
