“Euro-Chess Foundation” (ECF) organises with Adelante kinderrevalidatie, speciaal onderwijs & wonen an exchange in Valkenburg aan de Geul between youngsters from member states of the European Union. Youngsters from seven different countries in Europe: Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Belgium and The Netherlands. Physically and/or visually handicapped and

non-handicapped young people meet each other in a competitive and recreative participation in chess and other sports. The name of the exchange is

Euro-Chess 2016 and the theme is “Friends beyond borders”.

Besides these sports activities Euro-Chess 2016 provides in a number of intercultural activities and

non-formal learning: the participants come into contact with the cultural heritage of the Netherlands (especially the triangle Maastricht-Luik-Aken or Euregio Maas-Rijn) and several traditions of our country such as its manners and the specific customs (for example the language, the food and drinks of our region). By means of acquaintance workshops, presentations of their own countries and daily activities and frequent evaluations the youngsters make contact with each other and their different customs. So they discover each others differences. They learn to accept each other; similarities and differences will be inserted constructively. So a process of growth will develop from orientation through acquaintances to result into further social contact. Finally the participants of the several countries will show the characteristics of their country through music, drama, culinary art, folk dance, photography and a powerpoint presentation. Before, during and after Euro-Chess 2016 different social media (Facebook and YouTube) will be used to get in contact with each other, to make the weekly program and to propose ideas and suggestions.

Pierre Keune, chairman Euro-Chess 2016

Miriam Voncken, deputy chairman Euro-Chess 2016