Armenian president receives Magnus Carlsen

President of Armenia, President of the Chess Federation of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan received today the reigning World Chess Champion, Norwegian Grand Master Magnus Carlsen, who arrived in Armenia at the invitation of the Armenian Development Initiative Fund and the AcronisCompany. World Cup holder, three-time winner of the World Chess Olympics, Champion of the World Team Championship, GM Levon Aronian was also present at the meeting, the presidential press service reported.

Among those present were also managers of a number of world-known IT companies, including Parallels and Acronis and the Skolkovo Foundation that has united chess and information technologies in one program, taking into account the fact that Armenia, which has already achieved considerable success, attaches importance to both spheres.

The Executive Director of the Foundation noted that the program aims to present Armenia to the world with all its achievements and peculiarities and create new opportunities for these and other promising spheres.

President Sargsyan greeted the guests, stressing that it is a great honor for Armenia to host the strongest chess player of the world in our country. “I’m glad that Levon Aronian is also here. He’s the pride of our people, and perhaps Carlsen’s strongest competitor in the world. We definitely connect great hopes with Levon, and it’s first of all thanks to him that the team of our tiny country has become the winner of the World Chess Olympiad three times. I’m very grateful to him,” he said.

Magnus Carlsesen said, in turn, it’s a great honor for him to be in Armenia –a chess superpower. “During the days of my stay here I have seen the inspiration and the love of the Armenian people for chess. I think this approach, and the program of inclusion of chess as a compulsory discipline in schools serves as a wonderful example to the world. It’s a very big step,” Carlsen said.

The meeting participants discussed Armenia’s scientific and educational potential, the work done in our country towards the development of the IT sphere, and the promising programs of development.