Chess from Asunción

In 2018 the national government of Paraguay approved a law that recognises chess as a relevant activity for educational support, encouraging schools to include the teaching of this in their curriculum. However, one year later, none of the public schools have been able to do this because of lack of resources and bureaucracy.

At the same time, in the capital city of Paraguay (Asunción), illegal tree pruning is an extended practice. To prevent this practice, the City Council does not pick up the branches and, therefore, mountains of wood residue becomes part of the urban landscape.

Chess from Asunción is a project that aims to create a solution for schools to promote chess among its students, in a cost efficient and innovative way and through the collaboration of various stakeholders. The project has transformed the waste from the city’s illegal tree pruning into chess pieces and boards.