9-year-olds thrash representatives to the UN Security Council
Chess For Dialogue brings together diplomats and children at the UN
The 1st annual Chess for Dialogue was held yesterday at the United Nations. The event was sponsored by Ukrainian and Hungarian Permanent Missions to the United Nations and supported by Secretary-General of the United Nations the Honorable Ban Ki Moon.
More than a dozen young chess players from the New York area got a chance to take on 20 Ambassadors from around the world. The idea of the event is to promote peace through dialogue.
Permanent representatives to the UN from several countries took part.
China’s UN envoy Liu Jieyi China was bested by 9-year old Eva Johnson from New York in only 30 moves.
“I am excited and happy that I beat the ambassador! …. The match was a little difficult”
All in all, the kids thrashed UN diplomats in the matches. The UN representative of the Palestinian Authority was one of the last diplomats to bow out.
Ukraine’s UN representative did the best, holding out for a draw.
“I played against Isabel, an experienced chess player from New York. We drew. She was a tough opponent and I enjoyed playing such an interesting match.”
The tournament was organised by former world chess champion, Grandmaster Susan Polgar.
“I think that this has been a great event. Chess is the ideal tool for people of all ages.”
Following their matches, contestants mingled with UN diplomats informally and spoke about world problems on the agenda at the UN Security Council, including Russia’s unremitting invasion of eastern Ukraine.
Source: http://uatoday.tv