Somalia will include chess lessons in schools academics.

[Kramer]

Somalia will include chess lessons in schools academics.





Somali chess federation President Dr. Abdi Hassan widely known as Watac has reached a historical agreement with managers of 50 Mogadishu-based schools to include chess lessons in schools academics 2008-2009.

“For the last three weeks we have been meeting with school managers and we have jointly agreed on including chess lessons in schools academics” said Somali chess federation President Dr Ahmed Abdi Hassan during an exclusive interview with Somali chess website www.somchess.com.

The President told that this is a historical step taken for progressing chess games in Somalia.

“We are very much grateful to the Managers of Mogadishu-based schools for their allowance of introducing chess lessons in schools academics” the president added.

“We donated coaches and adequate equipments to the schools and we are very hopeful that a lucrative development will be scored as soon as possible” Somali chess federation President Dr. Ahmed Abdi Hassan said once again
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Somali youth play chess to promote peace


www.chinaview.cn 2009-05-08 02:57:27 Print

By Abdurrahman Warsameh

MOGADISHU, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Somali youths will have yet another thing to pass their tough times and perhaps develop their mental capacities and promote peace as schools in Mogadishu now started to hold regular chess contests among their students, thanks to an initiative by local schools chess association.

The first of its kind, the contests which kicked off on Thursday bring together chess players from a number of schools in Mogadishu who will be competing one another for the next week.

Held in Mogadishu, the opening ceremony was attended by senior Somali government officials including the Deputy Speaker of Somali parliament Omar Dalha, head of Somalia's Olympic Committee, Aden Haji Yeberow Wiish, and the leader of Somalia's Chess Federation, Ahmed Abdi Hassan Wata.

Somalia Chess Federation which is a member of the International Chess Federation has organized the event for the local Mogadishu Schools Chess Association, the only schools chess organization in the war-torn country.

Sports is very much appreciated in the chaotic country where most of the facilities have either been destroyed or changed into military bases by the warring sides in the Somali civil conflict that raged for the past two decades.

"Chess is not only a sport and past time but is also a mental exercise that will definitely stimulate the young brain and we hope this will contribute to the healthy development of our young people, and promote peace in our country" Said wata, the top official of Somali Chess Federation, as he spoke during the opening ceremony of the Mogadishu Schools Chess Contest.

Other dignitaries who spoke at function praised the Somali Chess Federation for its initiative to organizes the chess contest and for encouraging the youth to take up the sport which many of the officials, agreed help promote peace in the war torn country.

Dozens of enthusiastic young students from different schools soon started tussling at each other as they pondered over the chess board and made their deliberate and thought of moves to checkmate their opponent.

"I have been practicing chess for the past several months for this contest and I am very hopeful that I will win over my opponent in this game," Twelve year old Muse Ali, said as he made his move.

Parents and teachers were watching over the games anxiously and urging the students as they played the game which one of the teachers attending said would help the young not only enjoy the sport and improve their mental capacity but it will help move them away from the fighting and wars currently going in their country.

"This is what will help them divert their attention from the bad things that are going all around them and help them get along will each other," Yasin Omar, a teacher at the contest told Xinhua.

"We hope all the schools in Somalia would take to chess and allow their students to play this very important game that will be of benefit not only to them but to society in general," Omar added.

This is the first time but will not be the last time, promises Wata, such contest is organized for schools in Somalia where the national education system and sport have been destroyed by two decades of civil war in the Horn of African country.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009- ... 332604.htm

[BaasAbuur]

I read this already. Awesome.

[Kramer]

Soon we gonna have hundreds of Somali chess masters competing with Indian and Russia chess geniuses!
Current World Chess Champion is Indian Viswanathan Anand

[Muhammad bin Harti]

soon we are going to have a population, that all think they are "kings" and will mistreat other people who get in their way. hey wait... isnt that the current somali politics situation?

[Cawar]

Xoolo, let your ppl learn how to read first.

[Kramer]

Xoolo, let your ppl learn how to read first.

Midgaan, why don't u say you real qabiil, I know u defend punaniland and all that, and u got angry when someone says something about Pirateland, but u never state your langaab tribe? are u servering from inferiority complex?

let me guess you are from "Aan is Wasno" becuz u sure would love to take a big one up Uranus!

[Cawar]

Xayawan, horta adiga qabilka?? I rememebr Ironman used to claim Jareer or was it abgaal??

[Advo]

Alshabaab said chess is haraam

[faay_omar]

waxaa laka hadlaaye chess and suddenly qabiil ee isku badashay....balaayo ni a'ragtay

[Cawar]

waxaa laka hadlaaye chess and suddenly qabiil ee isku badashay....balaayo ni a'ragtay

Say what??

I dont know what vibe you got..but I was just addressing a known idiot member here, who thought adding qabil will work for his benefit.