NBA and WNBA Stars Visits Lebanon as U.S. Sports Envoys

October 21, 2009

The U.S. Embassy in Beirut, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) SportsUnited Office, will host President of the WNBA, Donna Orender, in Lebanon as a Sports Envoy.  Orender, an All-Star in the Women’s Professional Basketball League and an All-American basketball player in college, will be accompanied by former NBA star Rolando Blackman and WNBA player Ebony Hoffman. 

The three envoys will conduct a series of youth basketball clinics for over 300 boys and girls ages 10-17 in four cities throughout Lebanon between October 21 and 24.  They will also lead leadership workshops for basketball coaches throughout Lebanon, and will support 300 young athletes at the “3-on-3 SportsUnited Hoopfest Lebanon” youth basketball tournament hosted by the American University of Beirut.

This visit is part of the U.S. Embassy’s Sports Diplomacy Program that was launched in 2007.  The Program emphasizes the role of sports in promoting universal values such as tolerance, respect and leadership, especially among young people from diverse backgrounds.

In 2009, twelve Lebanese basketball coaches participated in an intensive 12-day program in the U.S. where they met Ms. Orender and Mr. Blackman and invited them to come to Lebanon to teach basketball clinics.  In 2007, the U.S. Embassy sent a delegation of coaches and players on a two-week exchange program to the United States.  The U.S. Embassy also organized two youth basketball camps in 2007 and 2009 that taught basic basketball skills and conflict resolution techniques to more than 200 students.

Starting October 21st, follow this program through the participants’ blog at http://exchanges.state.gov/sports.

View photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/usembassybeirut/sets/72157622513499837/