Project Description

Go Public is a project that aims at bringing Go to the public. Most players usually play in front of their PC or in a Go-club. Thereby they do not really promote the game as its beauty is hidden behind a screen or enclosed in the space of a club. The specialty of this project is thus that players leave their common playing place and go to public places where they attract the views of more people. This kind of idea is basically nothing new: Associations visit board game exhibitions or similar events to attract a specific clientele. The main difference is that with this idea Go players enter the city life and make thereby all kind of people aware of Go. Different public places shall be visited on a set date. Places can include shopping streets, bars, restaurants etc. It is important though that these places attract public attention.

Imagine a group of Go players with Go boards in their hands walking through the city, stopping at famous place A and playing there for a while, then continuing to walk to famous place B, in the evening finishing in a restaurant and happily looking back on their promotional walk through the city. This could be an enjoyable event for a weekend day which might not only promote Go but also lead to an improved team spirit among Go players. People on the streets or people in bars/restaurants are expected to be at least curious about what is going on. Therefore the players should be prepared for any interested person to provide explanation or information material. The impact of the project increases with the number of players who implement the idea.

A well organized project can make players from different cities cooperate and attract the public to a level which will attract local or even national media.

Objectives

- Increasing public awareness of Go,

- Making people interested and curious about Go,

- Inviting people to enter the world of Go,

- Sharing Go moments and team spirit among Go players.

Realisation

To make the project work it first needs someone who takes the initiative to communicate the idea. In places or countries where clubs and associations are already installed, a project like this can be easily implemented. Taking my club as an example, the idea can be spread by talks in the club, a mailing list, a forum of the regional/national association and new media like facebook.

Similar to the organization of a Go tournament there are some steps to be taken:

1. First of all a date has to be set. The earlier it is set the easier players can be found to join the promotional walk. Nevertheless a spontaneous implementation is also realizable.

2. Public places should be scouted in advance, since some places might need permission to access with Go boards. Once permissions have been granted one or more routes can be designed on which the players travel through the city.

3. Information material should be prepared in advance. Some clubs or associations already have existing flyers.

4. Date, meeting point and the route are then to be communicated to fellow Go players. The idea can be spread by talks in the club, a mailing list, a forum of the regional/national association and new media like facebook. Nice weather is a good prerequisite for an enjoyable promotion.

The 1st edition

The idea has been realised on 14th April 2012. See here for more details.

Resources

Go boards and stones, communication platform (e-mail, Go-club, facebook etc.), information material (i.e. flyers with information about a Go club and national Go association), Go players sharing their passion and coming together to realize the idea.

Possibilities of copying this project

It is simple to copy the project in every city or country due to the low needs for realization and resources. The passion for Go is enough to illuminate the flame which can spread this project.

Contact Information

E-Mail: aneumann@dgob.de

Hyperlink

Go Club Bochum