We in The Netherlands are happy to host the World Championship Draughts 2003 in the fine town of Zwartsluis. In a world full of rhetoric on war and fear of terror, organising and playing a draughts championship is hopeful and really contributes to a better world. Combating and competing on a draught-board fits in a peaceful, olympic world since the opponents are friends - have become friends just due to all preceding games.
Sport fraternizes and reconciles indeed. It takes two to tango – not two enemies, but two friends who challenge one another in terms of intellectual and psychological skills: who is best in thinking pro-active, in designing strategies of attack and defence, in building a well-balanced position of strength, in dealing with time pressure, stress and nerves?
Organising a draughts championship, too, requires courage, teamwork and confidence in a positive outcome of quite a few people. A group of enthusiast devotees in Zwartsluis picked up this challenge – and they succeeded in bringing together all the prerequisites for a fine and sporting event including a field of friends fond of the game and willing to spend long days on either side of a draught-board. Congratulations.
The Foundation ‘Trust of 100 Kings’ is happy to contribute financially to this event. In this way, the ‘Trust of 100 Kings’ intends to promote the game of draughts and to bring it into a position equivalent to that of the popular sports the large public is aware of and has a vivid interest in. Hopefully, this World Championship 2003 is instrumental in raising the interest thanks to interesting games between opponents exhibiting a great fighting spirit. The Foundation wishes the players and the public a sporting event and fine games.
Professor Harry van den Akker,
Chairman Foundation ‘Trust of 100 Kings’
Zie ook http://www.trustof100kings.nl