Smart Moves Summit 2025 Declaration

24.08.2025
Share this post
Adopted in Alexandria, Virginia, United States of America
August 5, 2025

We, the participants of the Smart Moves Summit 2025, convened in Alexandria, Virginia, alongside the FIDE World Schools Team Championship, representing international organizations, ministries, academic institutions, civil society, and the global chess and education communities, hereby adopt this Declaration as a common framework for future collaboration, action, and shared responsibility.

Preamble

Guided by the leadership of FIDE and its global efforts to advance chess as an educational tool, and drawing upon the foundational principles set forth in the United Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the OECD Learning Compass 2030, and the UNESCO International Charter of Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport, we affirm that education is a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of inclusive, sustainable development.
We recognize the growing role of chess in advancing social cohesion, cognitive and emotional development, gender equity, intercultural understanding, and digital inclusion. We acknowledge the importance of long-term partnerships and responsible governance in integrating chess into formal and informal education systems.

With the launch of this Declaration, we reaffirm our collective will to translate insights from this Summit into scalable, sustainable, and ethical action.

Principles and Commitments

1. A Call to Action for Educational Systems

We call on ministries of education, school systems, and international agencies to:

● Recognize chess as a proven educational tool that supports problem-solving, critical thinking, focus, and metacognition.
●Integrate chess into formal and informal learning environments, including public schools, afterschool programs, and digital platforms.
● Provide teacher training, curriculum frameworks, and evidence-based support to scale sustainable chess education programs.

2. Promoting Equity and Inclusion

We affirm that chess must serve as a bridge, not a barrier. We are committed to:

● Expanding access to chess education in underserved communities, including rural and low-income regions.
● Addressing gender disparities and promoting greater participation of girls and women in chess at all levels.
● Ensuring inclusive practices for children with disabilities, refugees and displaced persons, migrants, and linguistically diverse students.
● Promote inclusive learning environments that address the needs of neurodiverse students and those requiring special educational support.

3. Embracing Innovation

We recognize that the future of chess in education will be shaped by technology. We encourage stakeholders to:

● Support digital innovation in chess learning, including adaptive platforms, gamification, and AI-driven tutoring.
● Encourage ethical data practices and safe digital environments for learners.
● Support the responsible use of generative AI tools for personalized learning in chess education.
● Foster collaboration between EdTech developers and educators to align design with learning outcomes.

4. Strengthening Global Collaboration

We encourage cross-border cooperation and knowledge exchange through:

● International competitions, teacher exchanges, and joint research on chess and education.
● Partnerships with civil society, private sector, and philanthropic organizations to fund scalable initiatives.
● Alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (particularly SDG 4: Quality Education).

5. Advancing Research and Evidence

We call on universities, think tanks, and institutions to:

● Conduct rigorous research on the cognitive, academic, and social-emotional impact of chess.
● Share data and insights across sectors to inform program design and policy.
● Establish global benchmarks and evaluation tools for chess education programs.
Governance

To translate this Declaration into practical progress, we propose the launch of a Global Exchange Platform for Chess in Education.

Convened by the International School Chess Federation with the support of FIDE and interested partners, this platform will serve as an open, low-barrier space for:
● Sharing experiences, research, and promising practices through periodic online roundtables and forums;
● Publishing case studies, resources, and implementation tools in an accessible digital hub;
● Encouraging informal coordination among ministries, federations, educators, and NGOs;
● Provide multilingual access to all platform content to ensure global usability;
● Identifying shared challenges and solutions through targeted consultations and dialogue.

This platform will build momentum and visibility without requiring formal infrastructure, allowing stakeholders around the world to learn from one another, stay connected, and collectively advance the integration of chess into education.
This platform will serve as a non-binding, participatory initiative designed to foster connection and learning, rather than enforce compliance.

Joint Action

We invite all institutions, governments, educators, and partners to endorse this Declaration, commit to its implementation, and co-create the next chapter of chess in education.
Under the leadership of FIDE and International School Chess Federation, we unite in the quest to make chess an essential part of our education systems together with our distinguished partners including ministries, national chess federations, International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC), schools, and community leaders from over 20 countries.
Let this Declaration be a starting point for renewed global commitment, a united effort to harness the power of chess to nurture young minds, cultivate essential skills, and inspire a more inclusive and resilient future. Through its discipline, creativity, and universal language, chess offers more than a game, but a pathway to lifelong learning, equity, and shared human development.

Signatories

This Declaration is adopted and endorsed by the participants of the Smart Moves Summit 2025, including:

● National ministries and public education authorities
● Chess federations and education commissions
● International organizations and multilateral partners
● Academic institutions and research centers
● Civil society organizations and philanthropic foundations
● Technology and EdTech innovators
● Educators, coaches, students, and youth advocates
● Delegates and speakers from more than 20 countries

Together, we stand united in our shared vision and commitment to advancing chess in education for the benefit of current and future generations.

Click here to download full declaration.