World Chess Day Chess Culture Festival Held in Liaocheng, China

On July 22, 7.20 World Chess Day Chess Culture Festival launching ceremony was held in Liaocheng of Shandong Province. The festival was guided by World Chess Federation, Asian International Chess Federation, and Shandong Provincial Sports Bureau, organized by Board and Card Games Administrative Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, Chinese Chess Association, and Liaocheng Municipal Government, and hosted by Liaocheng Education and Sports Bureau, Dongchangfu District Government. This is the second time that Liaocheng held the Chess Cultural Festival on July 20, the World Chess Day, since the first event was successfully held in 2021.

Guests from the Asian Chess Federation, Board and Card Games Administrative Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, Board and Card Games Management Center of Shandong Sports Bureau, Shandong Sports Industry Development and Service Center, Liaocheng Municipal Government, Dongchangfu District Government had attended the lauching ceremony. Five world champions including Xie Jun also were present.

The launching ceremony was presided over by Cui Wei, director of Liaocheng Education and Sports Bureau. Jiang Shaohua, deputy secretary of the Dongchangfu District Party Committee and district director of Dongchangfu, Liaocheng City, delivered a welcome speech. Xie Jun, vice president of the Capital Sport University, four-time women’s world champion, and Tian Hongwei, Vice President of Asian Chess Federation, Director of Chess Department of the Board and Card Games Administrative Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, delivered speeches. Ma Weihong, Deputy Mayor of Liaocheng Municipal Government, delivered a speech and announced the opening of the festival.

Above, Jiangshaohua, Deputy Secretary of Dongchangfu District Party Committee and Head of Dongchangfu District, delivering a welcome speech

Above, Xie Jun, the Four-time Women’s World Champion of chess, delivering a speech

Above, Tian Hongwei, Vice President of Asian Chess Federation, Director of Chess Department of the Board and Card Games Administrative Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, delivering a speech

Above, Ma Weihong, Deputy Mayor of Liaocheng Municipal People’s Government, delivering a speech and announcing the opening

Above, Cuiwei, Secretary of the Party Leading Group and Director of Liaocheng Education and Sports Bureau

The World Chess Federation and the Asian Chess Federation sent congratulation letters to this event respectively, expressing their congratulations and respects for holding the Chess Cultural Festival in Liaocheng on the World Chess Day, and willing to maintain cooperation with Liaocheng to promote the widespread development of chess.

With the strong support of relevant leaders and departments, this year’s Chess Cultural Festival becomes more innovative and colorful. The finals of Chinese Chess League A, the Super Battle of National Chess Rookies, the Star Exhibition Competition of Chess around the Lake, the Chess Association Masters (Shandong Division), Shandong City along the Yellow River, Grand Canal City Chess Association and Chess players, the Eye of the Water City, the Ferris wheel chess challenge and many other events will be held and be lasting until this October. With its large scale, long time and high specification, it is a grand event of chess all over the world.