Leaders in education, policy and chess research to gather during the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) will host the FIDE Summit on Chess in Education 2026 on 24 September at Silk Road by Minyoun in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, held alongside the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad and Congress. The Summit is a centrepiece event of the 2026 Year of Chess in Education, and organizers are inviting educators, policymakers, researchers and chess-in-education innovators from around the world to register now to secure their place.
Themed “Every Lesson Counts,” the Summit brings together voices from across the global chess-in-education movement to examine where the field stands today and where it is headed next – from long-established national programmes to emerging grassroots initiatives and new partnerships with higher education. The day will be hosted by Simon Bélanger, a videographer, actor and chess content creator known to audiences as @simonplayschess.
Following a lunch break, Part II (14:00–15:30) turns to a series of shorter, dynamic panel discussions tracing the past, present and future of chess in education: reflections on established national programmes, the challenges facing emerging pilot initiatives, and the road ahead as higher-education institutions and nonprofit organizations come on board as partners.
After a coffee break, the day shifts gears for Part III (16:00–18:00), a closing block of six longer, in-depth Education Innovation Lectures that each take a deep dive into a single theme: chess as a tool for refugee and conflict-affected communities, the journey of FIDE’s own chess-in-education programming, making chess engaging and enjoyable for every child, how chess builds learning and community connections across the globe, the results of a new Chess in Education Global Survey, and chess’s impact beyond the tournament hall.
To support participants from around the world, the Summit will offer real-time voice translation in 64 languages; attendees are asked to bring their own headphones.
Registration is required for all visitors wishing to attend in person.
Register now: https://edu-summit2026.fide.com/
FIDE Summit on Chess in Education schedule (PDF)
Participants who need an official invitation letter, for example, to support a visa application, should contact Rita Atkins, Secretary of the FIDE Chess in Education Commission, at edu.secretary@fide.com.
Every lesson counts. Every child can benefit. Join FIDE in Samarkand this September to help shape the future of chess in education.
