Chess: Bridging Cultures & Uniting People Presented By: David Heiser President — Renaissance Knights A 501 (C) (3) nonprofit organization utilizing chess as a tool to improve academic, intellectual and social skills P.O. Box 1074, Northbrook, Illinois , ,

Most schools systems and communities face the challenge of how to transcend deep differences and divisions between people of different cultural and social backgrounds.

Chess transcend nationality, ethnic identity, race and gender, and provides a universal language that is able to cut across cultural barriers.

Chess does not discriminate any one can learn to play Rich or Poor Young or Old White or Black Man or Woman Popular or Not Sports Player or Bookworm Handicapped or Healthy

Students and adults relate to each other through common goals, techniques and training

Chess speaks in many languages without a translator

“Thank You very much for sending the chess sets. I am stationed in Bagram, Afghanistan with Combined Joint Task Force-76 and with the US Army. We have an active chess club here on the base with players of all levels. The chess sets that your club sent come in very handy and are much appreciated. Playing chess here truly adds an international flavor to the game as I’ve played with folks from Afghanistan, Egypt, Czech Republic, Romania, and Poland in recent months. While being able to speak the same language as your opponent is always nice, it is certainly not required and I’ve had some memorable games and experiences.

We are very busy and have parliamentary elections on 18 September. It will be a big day for the Afghan people as they become more and more self-reliant. Our tour is for twelve months and we are about half- way through. We are from an airborne unit stationed in northern Italy. Thank you again for your generosity and I can assure you that military personnel across Afghanistan and Iraq sincerely appreciate your efforts. It is great to know and see the continued support for the Soldiers. John C. Waters Lieutenant Colonel, U. S. Army

Sir I can’t thank you enough for your generous contribution to my Unit and the Team. I use the chess set as stress relief for my Soldiers as they return from a hard days work. Sir I am sending this photo of an enlisted Soldier getting ready to show a young Officer how it’s done. Once again thank you for the support, 1SG R. Daugherty Renaissance Knights’ chess Sets 4 Soldier Program has sent 276 chess sets to military units serving in the Middle East during the past 18 months

People need first-hand, experiential knowledge.... Misunderstanding and stereotypes often exist because people lack personal contact and experience.

Ways chess brings people together: After school clubs comprising of students with different… School teams comprising of students with different… Chess tournaments provide a type of student exchange in that they can bring students together from different … Student / Parent tournaments Senior/ Junior tournaments Community programs Student exchange

Chess Ambassadors Presents the opportunity to traveling to study chess, participate in social and charitable activities, and to see cultural and historical sites. Thus, enhancing the participant's connection to the world community through meaningful activity and social involvement, and to further understanding, friendly relations, and goodwill among people of different towns, states, or countries.

Utilizing Chess for Social Good Emergency Relief Simul "Hurricane Katrina" with GM Shulman - September 11, 2005 Emergency Relief Simul "Starving in Niger" I & II with IM’s Smetankin and Young - August 7 & 14, 2005 Tsunami Relief Simul With IM Smetankin - January 9, 2005 Renaissance Knights Sponsors a Child in Need. Her name is Camilla Genelza, she just turned 4 years old and lives in one of the poorest areas of the Philippines.

Sportsmanship Good sportsmanship occurs when teammates, opponents, coaches, and officials treat each other with respect. Kids learn the basics of sportsmanship from the adults and peers in their lives, especially their parents and their coaches. Kids who see people behaving in a sportsmanlike way gradually come to understand that the real winners in sports are those who know how to persevere and to behave with dignity – whether they win or lose a game.