Basketball Sports Visitor Program with Youth from Burma

photo © Justin Smith / Wikimedia Commons, CC-By-SA-3.0

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces that 12 Burmese youth—six boys and six girls—and two coaches will travel to the United States January 7-20. The basketball exchange program, with support from the National Basketball Association (NBA), marks the first State Department Sports Visitor program with Burma. Throughout the program, the group will learn about sports in the United States by participating in basketball clinics with their American peers and engage in educational sessions on nutrition, conflict resolution, and disability sports.

The program builds on the first-ever Sports Envoy program in Burma, that sent Charlotte Bobcats General Manager Rich Cho, former Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) player Allison Feaster, current Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Darvin Ham, and former NBA player Marty Conlon to Burma as Sports Envoys in August 2012.

The basketball exchange participants, ages 15-17, will visit North Carolina to attend a Charlotte Bobcats game and take part in a clinic with Cho, who was born in Burma, and Bobcats players. In Washington, D.C., the group will attend a Washington Wizards game and meet team members.

SportsUnited is the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ division devoted to sports diplomacy at the U.S. Department of State. Athletes and coaches from a range of sports are chosen to conduct clinics, visit schools, and engage with youth abroad in a dialogue on the importance of education, positive health practices, and respect for diversity. The NBA has partnered with SportsUnited since 2005, helping to host Sports Visitors from 20 countries and sending nearly 60 current and former NBA and WNBA players and coaches to travel to more than 30 countries as Sports Envoys

Remarks by President Obama and President Thein Sein of Burma After Bilateral Meeting

Parliament Building
Rangoon, Burma

11:12 A.M. MMT

PRESIDENT SEIN:  (As interpreted.)  First of all, the entire people of Myanmar, including myself, join me in welcoming here Excellencies -- Mr. President, the first ever visit of a U.S. President to Myanmar.  And it is in Myanmar -- our bilateral relationship.

In fact, Myanmar established diplomatic relations with the United States since -- in the year 1947, a year before our -- the year before our independence.  The United States was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with Myanmar, and our countries have long history and have maintained friendly relations.

For the first 20 years, there were some difficulties and obstacles in our bilateral relations.  But, however, when President Obama took office in the United States, and because of the visions -- a reengagement policy of the President as well as the efforts of the Secretary of State and the contributions of the ambassadors -- our bilateral relations have been progressing steadily.  And then, in this regard, I would like to reiterate our commitment to continue cooperation to strengthen our bilateral relations in the years to come.

In this regard, we would like to reiterate that based on mutual respect, understanding and cooperation, we will move forward to further strengthen and promote our bilateral relations with the United States.