Organizational meeting of the Pergament Foundation for Draughts 64 took place on February 26 (of 2021) on St. Martin Island.

Organizational meeting of the Pergament Foundation for Draughts-64 took place on February 26 (of 2021) on St. Martin Island.

Organizational meeting of the Foundation Board attended founding members of the Board as follows:

Ed Pergament, Esq. USA, master IDF, master USSR, founder of the law firm of Pergament & Cepeda-Chair of the Board.

Alexander Katz, USA, master IDF, master USSR, Pan-American champion, ex-champion USA, professor, St. John University, Deputy Chair of the Board.

Vladimir Langin, Russia, ex-world champion, international grandmaster, president of IDF-Deputy Chair of the Board.

Andrey Valuik, Belarus, multiple world champion, international grandmaster, Member of the Board.

Arunas Norvaisas, Lithuania, multiple world champion, international grandmaster, Member of the Board.

The Foundation is an independent, private and privately financed organization.
The purpose of the Foundation is the development of draughts-64 in the world. The way toward this purpose is support and coordination with IDF.  The financial goal of the Foundation (which is not guaranteed) is attainment of additional financing for draughts-64 in the amount from 350,000 to 500,000 US dollars a year after next 10-12 years and for the foreseeable future.

Timetable of the meeting:

1. Organizational meeting in St. Martin, 20-27 of February.
2. About financial situation of the Foundation.
3. Planned expenses for 2021.
4. First annual meeting of the Foundation Board, Barbados, October 30 to November 6, 2021.
5. Tournament financing in 2021.
6. IDF financing.
7. Website.
8. 1^st Pergament Foundational Tournament (per personal invitation from the Board), May, 2022, Lithuania.
9. Miscellaneous.

Ed Pergament, the Chair of the Board opened the meeting.  The principles of financing is the financing of the next year will be announced after annual meeting of the Board in the fall. Ed Pergament reported regarding financial situation of the Foundation and planned expenses for 2021, as well as plans for near and long-term future.  Issues toward the fall meeting of the Board in Barbados from October 30 to November 6, 0221 were discussed.

Based on applications, the following tournaments received financing (overall over $9,000):

• Tournament “White Nights”, St. Petersburg, Russia, 2500 $
• Tournament “Plunge 2021”, Lithuania, 1500 $
• Tournament in the memory of Hatсkevich, Minsk, Belarus, 1500 $
• Tournament in the memory of Nezhmetdinov, Kazan, Russia, 1500 $
• Tournament in the memory of Grigruz, Benderi, Moldova, 1500 $
• Tournament in the memory of Varov, Yaroslavl, Russia, 50 000 Russian rubles.

The Board made a decision to award a direct grant to IDF for development of draughts 64 in the world in the amount of 2500 $.

The Board discussed creation of Foundation website.  For now, the information about the Foundation will publish on IDF website and IDF pages in the social nets.

1^st Pergament Foundation Invitational Tournament (by personal invitation) preliminarily planned for May of 2022 in Lithuania. Expected prize fund from 40,000 to 50,000 US dollars. The final decision about the tournament and financing will be made during fall meeting of the Board in Barbados.  The Board also discussed various pathways to finding additional sponsors, new tournaments, and coordination with various structures.