Chess for Project-Based Vocational Education

Dear friends,

This is our first report, and we are glad to share how our project is taking its first steps in Goris.

Our goal is to change how chess is perceived in our region — not only as a game, but as a way of thinking and learning. We want chess to become a practical tool for developing problem-solving, strategic thinking, and confidence among vocational education students. That change begins with real experiences, and the past few months have brought some meaningful ones.

On June 7, Goris hosted a simultaneous exhibition with world-renowned grandmaster Samuel Sevian — a remarkable event for our region, which our center was proud to support. Local chess players and students had the rare chance to sit across the board from an elite grandmaster — an experience most of them will remember for a lifetime. For a town far from the capital, events like this send a powerful message: high-level chess belongs here too.

Our students were actively involved as well: they volunteered in the organizational work of the event, helping with logistics and coordination. This is exactly the kind of hands-on, project-based learning our program is built around: real responsibilities, real teamwork, real results.

What's next

We are currently working on introducing chess as a subject at our center starting from the new academic year — a key milestone of this pilot project. And in November, Goris will host the international tournament "Goris Open." As we did last year, our team and students will support the organization of the tournament, gaining valuable experience while helping strengthen our region's place on the chess map.

Thank you for believing in this project at its very beginning. The journey has just started, and we look forward to sharing every step with you.

With gratitude,
The Baghakats Educational Center team