[wanabidii] Press Releases: Department of State and NBA Team Up for Basketball Diplomacy Program for Youth Athletes and Coaches from the Philippines

You are subscribed to Press Releases for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Press Releases: Department of State and NBA Team Up for Basketball Diplomacy Program for Youth Athletes and Coaches from the Philippines 03/18/2014 01:51 PM EDT Department of State and NBA Team Up for Basketball Diplomacy Program for Youth Athletes and Coaches from the Philippines Media Note Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC March 18, 2014 The U.S. Department of State will host sixteen youth basketball players and two coaches from the Philippines for an exchange program focused on leadership and community development in Miami, Florida and Washington, DC. This Sports Visitor program supports the State Department’s sports diplomacy work to open opportunities to youth around the world in an effort to promote positive social change. Sports transcend language, economic and social barriers; build a strong foundation of understanding between people of different cultures; and forge life-long relationships. Six of the athletes participating in the program represent communities devastated by Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). From March 18 – 31, the athletes and coaches will visit Miami, Florida and Washington, D.C. for a series of clinics and activities designed to emphasize the importance of education, teamwork, and respect for diversity. While in Miami, NBA Miami Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra will work closely with the group to provide basketball clinics, facilities tours and pre-game interaction with current Heat players. Coach Spoelstra, a Filipino-American, served as a State Department Sports Envoy to the Philippines in 2009, and has helped lead the NBA’s efforts to support typhoon victims. In Washington, DC, the participants will take part in basketball training and games with U.S. student athletes and visit area schools to learn how athletic involvement is linked to academic success. They will also engage in activities that promote volunteerism, teamwork, community building, and youth development, fostering the skills needed to assist their families and communities recovering from Typhoon Yolanda. To learn more about the U.S. Department of State’s sports diplomacy programs, please visit: http://eca.state.gov/programs-initiatives/sports-diplomacy. For more information, please contact of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at ECA-Press@state.gov. The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. Stay connected with the State Department:   External links found in this content or on Department of State websites that go to other non-Department websites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.  Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please visit subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com. This service is provided to you at no charge by U.S. Department of State. This email was sent to wanabidii@googlegroups.com using GovDelivery, on behalf of: U.S. Department of State · 2201 C Street NW · Washington, DC 20520

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