President awards chess legend Nona Gaprindashvili for promoting Georgia, outstanding sports achievements
Georgian chess legend Nona Gaprindashvili was awarded the Order of King Tamar for her “invaluable contribution to raising awareness of Georgia and forming a positive attitude towards the country, as well as for her unique sports achievements”. Photo: 1tv.ge
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Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Thursday awarded Nona Gaprindashvili, the Georgian chess legend, the Order of King Tamar for her “invaluable contribution to raising awareness of Georgia and forming a positive attitude towards the country, as well as for her unique sports achievements”.
The award ceremony was hosted at the Chess Palace in Tbilisi as part of the presentation of Gaprindashvili’s world tour Play with the Chess Queen.
You have received almost all the [state prizes], so it was very difficult to think of a new one. But, you did not have one [award], and I think it was a very correct choice to award you with the Order of King Tamar. This award is not [only] for your achievements in sport, [but also] about what you represent for our country”, Zourabichvili said at the ceremony.
Photo: president.ge
The President also called Gaprindashvili a “great example for all ages, and in particular for the youth” of how to represent the country abroad.
[…] If there are still some signs of national harmony in us, on which we can hope for the future, it is you. I think there can be no polarisation around you [like there is in the domestic political scene], as we all see ourselves in you, we see a successful and strong Georgia that you represent outside and inside the country”, Zourabichvili added.
As part of her world tour, the 82-year-old will visit countries around the world to host chess sessions. The tour will kick off in late October in Palermo, Italy.
A five-time World Chess Champion, Gaprindashvili was officially recognised as the greatest Georgian female sportsperson of the 20th Century in 1999, and has served as the Honorary President of Georgia’s National Olympic Committee since 1996.
Her achievements have been recognised in Georgia with public honours, including the naming of the Chess Palace venue after her in 2001, and the state title of the Order of Excellence of Georgia, bestowed on her in 2015.
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Georgian five-time world chess champion Nona Gaprindashvili has won the World Senior Chess Championship in the above 65 year age category in Bucharest, Romania. Gaprindashvili has won world championships in 1962, 1965, 1969, 1972 and 1975. She has also won 11 chess Olympiad tournaments between 1963-1992.