U.S. Embassy Kinshasa was excited to welcome two sports envoys, WNBA star Ruth Riley and NBA star Cedric Ceballos, to the DRC as part of the Department of State’s SportsUnited Program.
From July 22nd to the 26th , both players participated in a youth-focused basketball camp, attended KinJam, a local basketball festival, conducted a press conference and participated in a live chat with our Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) network. During the YALI live chat the sports envoys discussed the role of sports in developing self-confidence, leadership, teamwork, and communication skills.
The envoys used their own personal stories to connect with both the YALI network and the young athletes who participated in the basketball camps. Their stories touched on themes such as dedication to school, leadership and teamwork.
Sports diplomacy has emerged as an integral part of efforts to build ever-strengthening relations between the United States and other nations, using the universal passion for sports as a way to transcend linguistic and sociocultural differences and bring people together. The Envoy’s visit underscored sports diplomacy’s ability to support increased dialogue and improve cultural understanding and respect between the United States and the DRC.
