Ilham Aliyev received members of the national men's team of Azerbaijan, who took first place at the European Team Chess Championship, and specialists

President Ilham Aliyev has received members of our national men's team who took first place in the European Team Chess Championship in Warsaw, and specialists.

Congratulating the chess players, President Ilham Aliyev said:

- First of all, I want to congratulate you with all my heart on your great victory. The chess team of Azerbaijan is a European champion. This is a great historic victory. This is the second time that we present ourselves to the world as the first team in Europe. This indicates that the present victory is not accidental. Azerbaijan has already been a champion of Europe, and this is the second time. I think that this victory will take its place in the history of chess in Europe.

This victory makes me very happy, as it once again demonstrates the development of chess in Azerbaijan. The development of chess reflects the overall intellectual potential of our country, because chess is an intellectual sport. At the heart of the victory of our chess players lies the talent of the Azerbaijani people. We are the first among European countries. As you know, the most advanced technologies and the most advanced inventions appear in Europe. Being the first in Europe and the first in the intellectual game is another confirmation of the intellectual potential of the Azerbaijani people.

This is a historic victory, and it has a very high symbolic meaning. I know that it was achieved in a very hard fight. The particularity of victory is that it is a team victory, that is to say it does not belong to one person or athlete. It demonstrates the power of team potential and the high level of chess.

The development of chess in Azerbaijan today is a state policy. I am glad we have revived the tradition established in the 1970s. As you know, at that time, thanks to the policies pursued by great leader Heydar Aliyev, a chess school opened in every city. Azerbaijan was not an independent state at the time, but even in those circumstances, it pursued an independent policy. Azerbaijan always stood out for its attention to chess in the Soviet Union.

Unfortunately, in the early years of independence, most chess schools were closed or privatized, or used for other purposes. But after that, we began to restore these schools. Today, we can say, there are modern chess houses and schools in all cities. I participated in the opening of chess schools, I can say, in all districts. When I see 4-5-year-old children playing chess, it makes me very happy, of course, as the professionalism, knowledge and talent of the Azerbaijani youth are our national cause.

Today the development of chess shows itself, we can say, in all regions of Azerbaijan. In chess schools, portraits of our outstanding players have been put up. Talking with children, I say: practice well and learn chess so that you become champions and your portraits, like the portraits of our outstanding champions, are put up in these schools.

That is to say the particularity and importance of your victory is also that I am sure that it will give a new impetus to the development of chess in Azerbaijan, secure an influx of children to chess schools and open a new page for the popularization of chess in Azerbaijan. Therefore, the importance of your victory is great. It is very important for the authority of the Azerbaijani state, as Azerbaijan has presented itself in Europe as an intellectual centre.

We have good results in all sports. Azerbaijan has gained great victories in sports that require physical strength. At the last Olympics, our athletes were awarded 30th place in the world and 15th in Europe. Our athletes constantly take high places at the Universiade and the Islamic Solidarity Games. But to be the first in Europe in the intellectual game - chess – is really a historic success. It is very gratifying and demonstrates the intellectual potential of the Azerbaijani state.

I should also note that all members of our team are young. It is the same youth who met with the great leader Heydar Aliyev in this room, had a photograph taken with him and received his blessing and advice.

Our team members formed in the period of independence and grew up during the period of independence, and this victory once again shows the advantages of our independence. During the Soviet period, it was difficult to imagine that the Azerbaijani team would be the first even in the Soviet Union. Today, Azerbaijan is the first on the European continent. This is a great historic victory that, I want to say once again, makes me and the Azerbaijani people very happy. This victory is a source of our pride. We show Europe and the whole world that Azerbaijan is not inferior to anyone in intellectual development. We show that the basis for our success is a sound policy and the right steps. I am sure that in the future your victory, of course, will give a new impetus to the development of chess and, as I said, secure an inflow to chess sections and schools.

Today Azerbaijan is a rapidly developing country, has been able to take its rightful place in the world and is actively involved in all processes. The reforms carried out in Azerbaijan in the domestic political sphere are studied in the world today. Over the past 10 years, Azerbaijan has been able to achieve the most rapid development worldwide in the economic sphere. In connection with foreign policy, I must say that today Azerbaijan is a member of the UN Security Council - the most authoritative body in the world. Azerbaijan has made great strides in the field of sports. Your victory complements all these achievements gained in recent years. That is to say it complements them with a very compelling justification: that is the reason for our success, the reason for our success is the talent of the Azerbaijani people, its high intellectual potential, professionalism and patriotism of our youth.

Today, Azerbaijan is in one of the highest places in the world of chess. It is no accident that the World Chess Olympiad will be held in Azerbaijan. This decision is due not only to our organizational skills, the successes and victories of our players have also played their role here. I am sure that, like other prestigious competitions, we will hold the World Chess Olympiad at a high level.

Today, Azerbaijan hosts various events and conducts political and economic forums. Azerbaijan will host the first European games. Two years after them, the Islamic Solidarity Games and the Chess Olympiad will be held. That is to say all these events once again testify to the dynamic development of our country and reflect the attitude of the international political, economic, humanitarian and sports elite to Azerbaijan.

Once again I congratulate you on this wonderful victory and wish you new victories, new successes.

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A member of the national team, Shahriyar Mammadyarov, noted that the victories that have been gained testify to care about the development of chess in the country and said:

- Mr President, on behalf of all the chess players of the national team, we thank you and say "Thank you very much" for sparing your precious time to receive us. In fact, this is not just a meeting. Each of your meetings with us after a big victory inspires us to higher achievements and better results and encourages us to practice with more determination. A state programme was adopted for the development of chess in Azerbaijan in 2009-2014. Thanks to this programme, great attention is paid to chess in all regions and districts of Azerbaijan. Therefore, all these results and our successes at the European Championships are the result of your attention and care about chess. Over the past 6 years, we have participated in four European championships. At all four championships we won medals. No European country has been able to achieve such results. I do not believe that anyone and any country could repeat it. Azerbaijan’s national team has become a European champion twice. The main goal facing us is, of course, victory in the World Cup of 2015 and the Chess Olympiad of 2016. On behalf of all chess players, we promise that we will continue to try to represent Azerbaijan with credit. Azerbaijan has always been in the first place for us. We, chess players, try to prove in competitions in which we participate that Azerbaijan is the first. I think we are doing well. And in the future we will try to make it even better.

Thank you very much.

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President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you. You raised the flag of Azerbaijan and the glory of Azerbaijan. Once again I want to say that this victory has a special place. I have repeatedly said that the Olympics are a competition where countries demonstrate their capabilities. Perhaps globally they are the only competition or contest where the sports rankings of countries are openly shown. As in other areas, specialists have the ability to analyze how one country is ahead of another. For example, there are different criteria to determine which country is ahead in the economic sphere. For the average citizen, this question is not so clear in many cases. Or, what measures the political weight of countries? Of course, there are certain parameters. But sports, especially the Olympics, graphically show which country is in first place, which is in second place and which is in third place. Therefore, the 30th place of our athletes worldwide and their 15th place in Europe at the Olympics Games demonstrate the sports potential of our country.

And this championship demonstrates the intellectual potential of European countries. It was an intellectual competition. It was a contest of intellects and minds. This victory gives us grounds to say that the most intelligent people in Europe live in Azerbaijan. This is the main essence of this victory. Today, with this victory Azerbaijan once again presents itself as an intellectual centre - the intellectual centre of Europe. So this victory indeed has a very big meaning. This once again shows how talented and clever our people are.

Winning on the European continent is a historic victory. So once again, I sincerely congratulate you. This victory will remain in history. Azerbaijan has become a European champion twice. We have won medals in all European championships. That is to say this victory has a large base. Once again I congratulate you and wish you continued success. I also congratulate all employees of the federation and the Ministry of Youth and Sports. It is the fruit of our joint efforts.

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The next speaker, the vice-president of the Chess Federation of Azerbaijan, Faig Hasanov, said:

- Dear Mr President, first of all, on behalf of the chess community and chess players, I congratulate you on your re-election as President. I wish you always to be the leader of our people because all our victories are associated with your name.

You said very well that at the end of the 1970s, our great leader laid the foundation for the Azerbaijani chess school. At that time, we could not even dream that in a few years’ time, after 20-30 years, Azerbaijan will be known as the strongest chess country in Europe. Of course, a lot of work was done then and chess schools were opened. At that time, the main purpose was to involve children. This goal had a social character. At that time, there was not a single chess player in our districts. As you know, there were no members not only of the national team, but even of the youth team of Azerbaijan. But then, in the years of independence, the situation changed completely. In 1998, our great leader received these guys – at that time, they were still children, they were 10 years old, and he gave them support and material assistance. As you know, in those difficult years it was great foresight. The great leader knew that these children have a future, and material assistance in those years was of very great significance, since the development of a chess player required primarily a coach and participation in tournaments. The great leader knew that really talented children will bring worldwide fame to our country in the future, so he supported and helped them. I am very sorry that our great leader is no longer with us - he would have seen what kind of world famous chess players his foster children have become.

The reconstruction of chess schools by you gave a new impetus to the development of chess in Azerbaijan. After your visit to a chess school and meeting with children, a large influx begins there and a lot of children come. For example, after your participation in the opening of a chess school in Nakhchivan, the number of those who enrolled on the chess section here rapidly increased. They say that your participation in the opening of the school generated a great interest in chess among children. Now the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic is a land of the rapid development of chess. Once again, I thank you for paying high attention not only to chess players, but to all athletes. You stimulate them both materially and morally. At the end of the year, you award them. This is an indicator of your attitude towards chess and sports. I stress every time that the time will come when our athletes will say: we lived in a golden age. Mr President, in your time, athletes are really living in a golden age. Once again, thank you.

President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you very much.

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In conclusion, a memory photograph was taken.