Leading insurance broker in Zimbabwe, Minerva Risk Advisors have committed to investing in the growth of the sport of chess in the country after they partnered the Zimbabwe Chess Federation (ZCF) for their flagship Zimbabwe International Chess Open tournament for the fourth year running.
The organisation unveiled a US$7260 sponsorship for the Minerva Zimbabwe International Open Chess tournament, which begins on Wednesday this week and concludes next Sunday.
The event will see some of the country’s top golfers, especially those who are part of the men and women’s team that will raise the country’s flag at the 45th FIDE Chess Olympiad to be held in Budapest, Hungary in September.
Apart from sponsoring the Zimbabwe Open, Minerva are also proud sponsors of the ‘Behind the Walls’ initiatives, which took chess to the prisons and inmates compete with other inmates from across the globe.
"We believe that chess promotes independent thinking, and we would like to see chess go down to the most disadvantaged aspects of our communities, schools, and growing children," the company's group chief executive Lydia Tanyanyiwa said during the sponsorship unveiling ceremony at Minerva offices last week.
"We really would like to have Zimbabwe on the map of chess globally. Chess teaches players to carefully consider their moves, anticipate their opponents' responses, and make thoughtful decisions. All valuable attributes that translate well to various aspects of life and work.
"We also want to uplift chess at the national level. We are proud to support the growth and development of chess in Zimbabwe. This tournament provides a platform to showcase the incredible talent and potential of Zimbabwean chess players on the national stage. And we are hoping from the national stage, we jump on to the international stage. By investing in this event, we hope to elevate the profile of chess within the country, inspiring more people to take up the game, and further strengthen Zimbabwe's chess ecosystem. "We also would like to increase visibility and popularity."
Tanyanyiwa also said the organisation will be sponsoring the Behind the Walls team this year.
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“We have partnered the Zimbabwe Chess Federation for Behind The Walls where we sponsored prisoners, who play chess and it’s an international tournament for people in prisons from all over the world. Our team the first time we participated we came in second and beat lots of international prisoners. Last year we didn’t do quite well, but we were in there and for the first time they included women as well in the Zimbabwe team. It will be coming up soon and we will be sponsoring the team as well,” she said.
ZCF secretary general Todd Mapingire was pleased with the support that they received from Minerva, which he said has enabled them to continue growing the sport in Zimbabwe.
“Every year, before Minerva came on board, we would be asking for sponsorship of the Zimbabwe Open Tournament. This is the biggest tournament that we have in the country. So, when you then concentrate on the bigger tournament, you then give little time to the grassroots, who actually feed into the Open Tournament," Mapingire said.
“We would like to report that because of this kind of support ZCF has now engaged with the regional association of primary and secondary schools heads where we are now embarking on training all the teachers in the country to actually appreciate chess at every school. We actually have 10 000 schools in Zimbabwe so because of this support we are broadening up chess.
“And because of such initiatives the government has also appreciated us in terms of the education side. We are now launching, effective next year, chess as part of the curriculum at schools starting with ECD. It’s one of the five sports that have been chosen by the ministry that stimulates growth in the mind of kids.”
