Bhathiya Barukanda
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo will proudly welcome the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14. The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy will launch the weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Mr. Howard and Ms. Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
About Astou Ndiaye: Astou Ndiaye is a former professional women’s basketball player and current assistant coach at Utah State University in the United States. A two-time National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) First Team All-American, Ndiaye-Diatta played five seasons for the Detroit Shock, winning the 2003 WNBA Championship. She also played for the Indiana Fever, Houston Comets and Seattle Storm, as well as professionally in Italy and France. She is the founder of the Astou Ndiaye Foundation (ASTOUNDIAYEF), a nonprofit supporting African girls through sports, education, and mental and physical health. Link to Ms. Ndiaye’s reel: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C75lo7WOG0S/?igsh=MTA0eTBqNTZvNjBtZg==
About Stephen Howard: Stephen Howard is an NBA veteran, leadership expert, and basketball analyst for ESPN & FOX Sports. He played four years in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, San Antonio Spurs, and Utah Jazz, including the 1996-1997 Jazz team that competed in the NBA Finals against Michael Jordan and the Bulls. Howard now travels globally, empowering individuals and organizations with strategies to enhance performance, productivity, and profitability. Link to Mr. Howard’s reel:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7ynRO6uiCJ/?igsh=N3R5bXRod3JsaDk5
Sources by – U.S. Embassy in Colombo
