Introduction
The Smart Moves Summit scheduled for August 4-5 in Alexandria, VA is an international conference on how chess empowers schools, teachers, and students .
According to its organizer, the new International School Chess Federation, the summit “showcases research-backed approaches to integrating chess into early and primary education. It serves as a vibrant platform for international dialogue — connecting schools, federations, researchers, and the EdTech community around a shared mission….”
The Summit is prepared to host up to 300 on-site and 1000 online attendees including
- Teachers & Educators
- School Leaders & Administrators
- Researchers & Academics
- Policymakers & Public Sector Leaders
- EdTech Leaders & Startups.
Mission
The conference mission is to:
- Facilitate global dialogue between schools, federations, researchers and EdTech innovators.
- Build an International network around cognitive development through chess.
- Promote the role of chess in education.
Background
The conference organizer is the newly formed International School Chess Federation (ISCF) of Kazakhstan. The federation was first announced by Kazakhstan’s chess federation president Timur Turlov in a speech to the FIDE General Assembly on September 23, 2024. The organization’s mission is to unite national school chess associations and support the global integration of chess into school curricula. The General Assembly voted to support the proposal to make the ISCF an affiliated organization of FIDE. Initial target markets for the organization are Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
ISCF operates independently of the FIDE Chess in Education Commission.
Speakers at the conference include leaders from FIDE Chess in Education Commission, the European Chess Union, and Chess in the Schools (US).
Smart Moves Summit Program & Registration
Find speakers, program, pricing and registration information on the Smart Moves Summit website.