Kirsan Ilyumzhinov dances with local tribesman in Africa

Kirsan Ilyumzhinov: The charismatic Buddhist tycoon speaks on Africa Kirsan Ilyumzhinov is one of Russia’s most colorful public figures. An ethnic Kalymk, the businessman and politician was president of the predominantly Buddhist Republic of Kalmykia from 1993 to 2010, and later president of FIDE, the global governing body for chess, from 1995 to 2018. His business interests have spanned the oil and gas, media and automobile industries. While at the helm of FIDE, Ilyumzhinov traveled widely in Africa and developed a true love for the continent, its people and their perspectives and cultures. In a lengthy and insightful conversation with , Ilyumzhinov referred to Africa as “the cradle of humanity” and “the future of human civilization,” and as a continent that can help give rebirth to a global civilization that he sees as suffering from “artificially imposed excessive consumer standards” and “moral degradation.” His understanding of the world is philosophical and kind. It is a