STORY: Chinese chess competition held in Lebanon
DATELINE: Oct. 9, 2023
LENGTH: 0:02:15
LOCATION: Beirut
CATEGORY: CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the competition
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): ELIAS ABOU JAWDE, Head of Lebanon's Chinese Chess Committee
3. various of the competition
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): AMINE KORKOMAZ, Lebanese Chinese chess player
5. various of the awarding ceremony

STORYLINE:

A Xiangqi (Chinese chess) competition was held in Beirut on Saturday, attracting around 70 Lebanese and Chinese players to compete.

The event was co-organized by the Confucius Institute at Saint Joseph University (USJ) and Lebanon's Chinese Chess Committee.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): ELIAS ABOU JAWDE, Head of Lebanon's Chinese Chess Committee
"This competition aims to promote the intellectual development of the youths and strengthen their self-confidence. Chinese chess can help strengthen self-confidence. Through this game, the youths will have a better understanding of the Chinese culture. We are the only committee of Chinese chess in the Middle East. And there are currently about 250 Chinese chess players in Lebanon."

Lebanese player Amine Korkomaz is the U20 first-prize winner of the competition.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): AMINE KORKOMAZ, Lebanese Chinese chess player
"I'm happy with the cultural exchanges between Lebanon and China. We are learning about their heritage and civilization, and they are learning about ours as well. I'm very proud of myself, as Chinese chess requires intelligence and teaches me many things."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Beirut.
(XHTV)