Armenia hosts 1st European Universities Chess Championship

The 1st European Universities Chess Championship kicked off in Armenia today. The event has brought together 25 university teams from nine countries.

Armenian Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan said in his opening remarks “it’s an honor for Armenia to host the first European Universities Chess Championship.”

“We are an exceptional country to have won the Chess Olympiad three times, an exceptional country, where chess is taught in schools a s a compulsory discipline,” the Minister said.

“Chess has become part of our national pride,” he added.

“It’s an honor to be the first European capital to host the Universities Chess Championship,” the Minister stated.

Team from Poland, Russia, Portugal, France, turkey, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia and Armenia are participating the championship.

Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS