The World in a Classroom

For the first time, the International Chess Day, an anniversary observed annually since July 20, 1966, was virtually celebrated in the United Nations Headquarters with a round table of Caïssa’s officials and public servants addressing the new challenges faced by a board game — which Morphy called ”eminently and emphatically the philosopher’s game” — as well as its role in a post-pandemic world. In the hall of chairs, hosted by Mher Margaryan, Armenia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, holographic platitudes sat, but — to say it with a verse from poet Stephen Spender — “She stood out like a question”. Thus it was when finally four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) took the floor as if she were a goddess descended on earth to save humankind from their own misdeeds. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) said that despite chess being a competitive game, it turned out to be instead a powerful medium of entertainment and education between people of different backgrounds, origins, and nationalities. Chess is a microcosm in which to channel creative energies, skills, ambitions, and even excesses. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) also said that her chess background inculcated her with moral and ethic values, such as universality, inclusivity, respect, friendship and peace, which led her to an University career and out to a wider, more cosmopolitan world. And finally, chess taught her the most important thing of all — that perfection does not exist. The best move is not always a perfect move. On the other hand, awareness of imperfection is at the heart of human search for truth and perfection. And so the story goes on. Screenshots from the live stream. The whole video can be viewed at UN Web TV.