Former Women’s World Champion Grandmaster Zhu Chen has just concluded a historic 17 days tour of four southern African countries.
The African Chess Confederation would like to thank Grandmaster Zhu Chen for her generosity and inspiration as she conducted numerous lectures and simultaneous exhibitions.
She also engaged in very informative discussions with various chess enthusiasts, players, administrators and Government officials throughout her tour.
Her message and advice will surely lead to a timely injection of momentum as Africa embarks on a sustained chess development drive across the various facets of our chess community.
This historic visit, which was jointly sponsored by the FIDE Women’s Commission and the African Chess Confederation, was designed to focus on various crucial developmental areas where Grandmaster Zhu Chen’s competence could offer the necessary informative support to the African Federations she visited.
Whilst the main drive of this initiative was the support and encouragement of increased participation of young girls and women in our beloved sport of chess, it goes without saying that the cumulative effect will lead to more rewarding programmes across our chess development structures.
The African Chess Confederation also played the role of a gracious host to Grandmaster Zhu Chen by arranging for her to sample the delights of African hospitality and also gave her the opportunity to enjoy the African eye-catching tourist delights.
Grandmaster Zhu Chen’s tour started in the paradise island of the Seychelles whose beaches and landscape offer an unbeatable breathtaking experience.
The visit culminated in a helicopter flight over the wonderful Victoria Falls in the Zambian tourist capital of Livingstone after a game drive in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Mosi oa Tunya National Park.
In between, Grandmaster Zhu Chen had the pleasure of the sights and culinary delights of Mozambique’s coastal towns of the capital Maputo and historical port city Beira.
Then there was the wonderful scenery of Malawi in the drive to visit to the Majete Game Reserve with its majestic animal population.
The African Chess Confederation is extremely proud of the reception and hospitality accorded to Grandmaster Zhu Chen by the Federations of Seychelles, Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia.
We are also appreciative of the developmental support, advice and planned future developmental engagements being initiated by Grandmaster Zhu Chen through her membership of the World Chess Federation’s Women’s Commission.
