The Chess in Education Summit is scheduled for March 20-21 in San José, Costa Rica, as part of the Year of Chess in Education 2026. Organized by FIDE and local partners, the event will gather educators and policymakers to explore chess integration in schools. A pilot program will launch in ten Costa Rican schools during the summit.
The summit, hosted at the Costa Rica Tennis Club, aims to promote practical models for incorporating chess into educational systems, emphasizing inclusion, student well-being, and teacher accessibility. It is a collaborative effort involving the International Chess Federation (FIDE), the Confederation of Chess for the Americas (CCA), the Costa Rican Chess Federation (FCA), and Costa Rica's Ministry of Public Education.
Regional cooperation is a central focus, with invitations extended to ministerial delegations from Guatemala, Venezuela, and El Salvador. Costa Rican officials, including Minister of Public Education Leonardo Sánchez and ICODER Director Donald Rojas, will participate. A major highlight will be the launch of a national pilot program to introduce chess education in ten schools, developed jointly by the organizing bodies.
On March 20, a Women's Chess Tournament, coordinated by Carolina Muñoz, will occur as part of the public program, underscoring chess's role in empowering girls and women. Dana Reizniece, Deputy Chair of the FIDE Management Board, stated: “During the Year of Chess in Education, our priority is to support countries in implementing chess in classrooms in a meaningful and accessible way. The initiative launched in Costa Rica shows how national authorities and the chess community can work together to place chess at the service of education and student well-being.”
The two-day agenda includes keynotes on the first day and workshops on the second. Participation is open to education authorities, teachers, academics, chess federations, and development organizations, with options for in-person attendance at USD 150 or virtual access via live streaming.