The international tournament "UN Friendship Games-80" started in the Chess Lounge of MGIMO
August 19, 2025
On August 4, 2025, the international chess tournament „UN Friendship Games-80“ started in the Chess Lounge of MGIMO, dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the United Nations.
The organizers were the Russian Association for the United Nations, MGIMO of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, the UN Information Center in Moscow, the UN-80 Public Committee and the Directorate of the World Friendship Games. The UNIDO Center in the Russian Federation, which traditionally supports initiatives aimed at developing international cooperation, intercultural dialogue and promoting sustainable development goals, also took an active part in the event.
Official welcoming remarks were made by MGIMO Rector and Chairman of the Russian Association for the Assistance to the United Nations Anatoly Torkunov, Director of the UN Information Center in Moscow Vladimir Kuznetsov, and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to the Russian Federation Esen Aydogdyev.
The official start of the Games was announced by UN Goodwill Ambassador and two-time Olympic champion in hockey Vyacheslav Fetisov. After the ceremony, Dmitry Putilin, President of the Russian Muay Thai Federation and Director of the Organizing Committee of the World Friendship Games, presented him with the Friendship Games Cup for outstanding achievements in the development of sports.
The tournament, which was held according to the Swiss system of 7 rounds, was attended by representatives of the diplomatic corps, schoolchildren, students, youth leaders, and athletes from sports schools. The winner was awarded the Games Cup, and the participants were also given commemorative diplomas.
The tournament program also included mini-football and tennis. Sixteen international teams from Afghanistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Germany, Zambia, Italy, Laos, Russia, Rwanda, Senegal, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Switzerland, Ecuador and the UN team joined the competition.
The holding of the chess tournament highlighted the importance of sport as an effective tool for dialogue, intercultural exchange, solidarity and trust, and also confirmed the desire of the member states of the initiative to strengthen partnership based on the principles laid down in the UN Charter.
