FIDE and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office will host the first in-person Chess for Freedom Conference in Chicago from May 17-20, 2023. The event will introduce the concept of using chess as a rehabilitation tool for incarcerated people and feature experts from around the world. The event includes a Cook County Jail tour, meetings with the Cook County Department of Correction and interactive sessions with members of penitentiary administrations, policymakers and federation officers.
The conference offers guests the opportunity to join via Zoom and ask questions to the speakers, with the event being streamed live on FIDE’s YouTube channel. The Chess for Freedom programme supports inmates who seek access to quality ways of socialising and training. Chess is an ideal option for inmates to spend quality time and socialise smartly and safely. The game also helps decrease symptoms of depression, stress and anxiety. Chess improves concentration and imagination, develops memory and logical thinking, and fosters self-motivation.
The Chess for Freedom programme is supported by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office. It aims to provide incarcerated people with opportunities for self-realisation and development, with access to training and learning. The Chess for Freedom programme launched in May 2021 with an online conference and an exhibition tournament. Later in 2022, the first Intercontinental Online Chess Championship for Prisoners took place, followed by the 2nd Intercontinental Online Chess Championship for Prisoners in October 2022.
