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Subject: Text: Basketball Program to Bring Together Greek and
Turkish Youth
Text: Basketball Program to Bring Together Greek and Turkish Youth
(Joint effort of UN, NBA, FIBA, national basketball federations) (1120)
The National Basketball Association is teaming up again with the United
Nations for the second "Basketball without Borders" summer camp for
young
people designed to promote leadership, cross-cultural understanding,
conflict resolution, and living a drug-free life.
This year, from July 5-8, players from Turkey and Greece will
participate
at the camp at the Darussafaka Ayhan Sahenk facility in Istanbul.
Leading
the coaching staff will be NBA players Hidayet "Hedo" Turkoglu, a native
of Turkey, and Predrag "Peja" Stojakovic, who played professionally in
Greece.
The event is being held in conjunction with the Turkish and Hellenic
Basketball Federations and the Fédération Internationale de Basketball
(FIBA).
"Sports has an unparalleled ability to stimulate important discussions
among people who might otherwise not be brought together," said NBA
Commissioner David Stern. "Basketball without Borders is an opportunity
for the international basketball community to use the global popularity
of
our sport to deliver messages to a diverse group of young people about
the
importance of tolerance, peace, education and the fight against drugs."
Following is a UN press release with more details:
(begin text)
UNITED NATIONS Information Service
For information -- not an official document
UNIS/NAR/745
10 April 2002
BASKETBALL STARS JOIN THE UN TO PROMOTE COOPERATION AND UNDERSTANDING
BETWEEN GREEK AND TURKISH YOUTHS
The UN, NBA, the Turkish and Hellenic Basketball Federations, and FIBA
come together for the second annual Basketball without Borders Camp
VIENNA, 10 April (UN Information Service) -- The National Basketball
Association's (NBA) Hidayet ("Hedo") Turkoglu and Predrag ("Peja")
Stojakovic of the Sacramento Kings will lead a group of Turkish and
Greek
basketball players serving as coaches for the second annual Basketball
without Borders in Istanbul, Turkey, July 5-8, NBA Commissioner David
Stern announced today. Basketball without Borders is a summer camp for
12-14-year-olds designed to promote friendship and understanding through
sport.
The inaugural Basketball without Borders took place in July 2001 in
Treviso, Italy, with Vlade Divac of the Sacramento Kings, Toni Kukoc of
the Atlanta Hawks and five other NBA players from the former Yugoslavia
uniting to work with 50 children from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,
FYRO Macedonia, Slovenia and Yugoslavia. This year's Basketball without
Borders brings together 50 young Greeks and Turks who will be selected
to
participate on the basis of their basketball skills and leadership
potential.
The campers will be divided into four teams (Grizzlies, Kings, Pistons
and
Suns) without regard to their nationality. In addition to basketball
instruction and competition, the young players will share living
quarters
with their new teammates, eat three meals a day together and participate
in seminars led by the United Nations intended to promote leadership,
conflict resolution and living a healthy life without drugs.
"Sports has an unparalleled ability to stimulate important discussions
among people who might otherwise not be brought together. Basketball
without Borders is an opportunity for the international basketball
community to use the global popularity of our sport to deliver messages
to
a diverse group of young people about the importance of tolerance,
peace,
education and the fight against drugs," said Stern. "The NBA and its
players are proud to continue to work with the United Nations and to
join
forces with the Fédération Internationale de Basketball (FIBA) and the
Turkish and Hellenic Basketball Federations on this important
initiative."
"Basketball without Borders is an excellent example of the growing
spirit
of understanding between Greece and Turkey," said Ambassador Sumru
Noyan,
Director for Operations and Analysis at the United Nations International
Drug Control Programme (UNDCP). "It is my hope that the young campers
from
the two countries will show the people of the world that their common
love
of basketball and a desire to live a healthy life free of drugs can help
promote stronger ties between Turkey and Greece."
The coaches for the camp include some of the NBA's emerging stars. Peja
Stojakovic is originally from Yugoslavia but played professional
basketball in Greece and is fluent in Greek. Hedo Turkoglu is a native
of
Turkey and a key member of the Turkish national basketball team. Jake
Tsakalidis of the Phoenix Suns and Antonis Fotsis of the Memphis
Grizzlies
are both originally from Greece. Turkish international players Mirsad
Turkcan (CSKA Moscow), Ibrahim Kutluay (Panathinaikos BSA Athens) and
Mehmet Okur (Efes Pilsen Istanbul and a draftee of the Detroit Pistons)
will also coach at the camp.
"I am very happy to be taking part in this event that brings together
children from Greece and Turkey," said Stojakovic. "I have great
memories
from my playing days in Greece, and I would like to share my experiences
with the young players."
"Turkey is my home, so I am glad to be going back there for this very
important cause," said Turkoglu. "This is a great way to bring people of
different cultures and nationalities together."
"It is a pleasure for us to work together with the global basketball
community on this important initiative," said George Vassilakopoulos,
President of FIBA Europe and the Hellenic Basketball Federation. "Sport
--
and in this particular case, basketball -- constitutes an utmost social
expression and, as a bridge between the people of Greece and Turkey, can
teach young people the importance of tolerance and teamwork. The
participation of our basketball stars at this camp will only add to the
experience of the children taking part."
"As the governing body for Turkish basketball, we are proud to be
hosting
such a meaningful event, which will embrace basketball idols and young
basketball players, together within a concept of international peace,
friendship and solidarity with a special emphasis on the fight against
drugs," said Tugay Demirel, President of the Turkish Basketball
Federation. "We have always enjoyed a close basketball relationship with
Greece even during former difficult times and certainly believe that
Basketball without Borders will be a very special event to be long
remembered by all of its participants."
"The first Basketball without Borders proved to be a great success, and
I'm sure we can build on that with this year's event in Turkey," said
FIBA
Deputy Secretary General Patrick Baumann. "I would like to thank the UN,
the NBA and the Turkish and Hellenic Basketball Federations for coming
together to promote not only basketball but good international
relations."
The Darussafaka Ayhan Sahenk facility in downtown Istanbul will host the
event in conjunction with the Turkish and Hellenic Basketball
Federations
and the Fédération Internationale de Basketball (FIBA). Corporate
co-sponsors include Sprite, Nike, Champion Europe, Garanti Bank of
Turkey
and Spalding.
For more information, please contact: Zach Messitte, United Nations,
[EMAIL PROTECTED], (212) 963-2710 or Helen Wong, NBA, [EMAIL PROTECTED], (212)
407-8299
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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