MIES (Switzerland) - The second edition of World Basketball Day is seeing the sport come together to celebrate the positive influence and appeal which is enjoyed by millions of people and their respective communities around the globe. Basketball became the first team sport to be given this special status by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly and every December 21, the exact day it was invented back in 1891 by Dr. James Naismith, players and fans are presented with the perfect opportunity to showcase their passion to the rest of the world. The visionary behind World Basketball Day is David Hollander, a New York Professor who with the assistance of the FIBA Foundation Basketball for Good, worked with UN representatives to turn a one-time dream into reality.
Even the brightest stars of the game have embraced World Basketball Day, with Slovenia captain and Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic choosing December 21 as the appropriate day for the launch of his Foundation.
The Luka Doncic Foundation will focus on ensuring that youth sports are a joyful, enriching force in the lives of kids around the world and will be advised by a Youth Sports Leadership Council which includes an array of basketball icons - Steph Curry, Pau Gasol, Sabrina Ionescu, Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki, among others.
"Sports should be a place where kids can safely learn, grow, laugh, make mistakes and ultimately just have fun – that’s why I’m launching this Foundation and bringing together an incredible team to guide our work," said Doncic.
Countless other activities are marking the special day, spearheaded by the FIBA Foundation who in partnership with Olympic Solidarity are executing multiple 'Basketball For Good' Festivals at five selected Olympafrica Centers.
The objective of the Festivals is not only to promote basketball and youth development, but to also create a positive social impact at each of the chosen locations.
In Rwanda, there are skill-building drills and mini tournaments for mixed gender teams, a keynote on 'Breaking Barriers: The Role of Sports in Achieving Gender Equity', a drumming session by local youth groups and a specially designed a mural with messages on gender equality by the participants.
In Uganda, there's a mini-basketball jamboree taking place and a workshop for participants covering many important topics such as menstrual hygiene, safeguarding and mental well-being.
In Guinea, there are basketball skills workshop for all attendees who are competing in 3x3 jerseys inspired by traditional Guinea designs. There is also a special 'Girls in Basketball' clinic, a panel discussion on 'Empowering Women and Youth through Sports', a 'Unity Game' between the young and elderly - as well as traditional music and dance performances.
In Tanzania there's a basketball hoop being erected at a selected school and a mini-basketball jamboree at the Olympafrica Centre, while in Zanzibar there will be educational sessions on basketball history, as well as skills stations and games for the participants. One of the biggest reasons to celebrate 'World Basketball Day' is the continuing global growth of the sport which has soared to exciting new levels. Not least basketball being played regularly (at least twice per month) by more than 610 million people globally between the ages of 6 to 54.
These exceptional levels of participation go hand in glove with a consumer study by the well-respected Nielsen Sports, which confirmed there are more than 3.3 billion basketball fans globally between the ages of 16 and 69. It also found in the research sample that almost 3 out of 4 people were interested in basketball, making it the second most popular sport in the world after football. That's why no matter where you are on the planet, you can play your part and share in the celebrations. You might pick up a basketball and play, wear your favorite basketball jersey, tell your friends and family all about this special World Basketball Day, or make a basketball social media post - maybe you will manage all five!
Whatever you choose to do, show your passion and love for the sport of basketball! FIBA