Brussels, 20/03/2012 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament adopted a written declaration on 15 March to promote chess in schools through the “Chess in School” programme. This finally exceeded the 10% of signatures required (415 signatures, whereas the minimum of 378 was obligatory). MEPs clearly recognised the benefits of chess with children and congratulated bodies promoting chess playing such as the Kasparov Chess Foundation Europe and the European Chess Union, which will jointly develop the programme. Slavi Binev, one of the MEPs behind the declaration, said that adoption of the text, “Proved that for the good causes and ideas there are no political boundaries and prejudices. Introducing chess in schools is something good; actually, it is something more than just 'good' because it is good for our children, our future”. Now officially adopted, the declaration will be sent to the European Commission and the Council of Ministers, as well as the parliaments in member states.
The declaration calls on the Commission and the Council of Ministers to: 1) encourage the introduction of the Chess in School programme in member states' systems; 2) pay sufficient attention, in the communication on sport, to the Chess in School programme and ensure that it is sufficiently funded from 2012; 3) take into consideration the results of the studies published or which will be published, in order to assess the impact of playing chess on child development. (IL)