From March 17 to 29, ECA led an action-packed basketball program with 12 Indonesian teenage basketball players—six boys and six girls—and two coaches. The exchange was built from the 2012 program when ECA sent former NBA player Rick Mahorn and former WNBA player Edna Campbell as Sports Envoys to Indonesia. These programs play into Embassy Jakarta’s efforts to deter young Indonesians from joining violent extremist groups as sports offer a healthy alternative on all fronts.
While in the U.S., the group split their time between Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia, PA. Throughout the program, the participants took part in basketball trainings, interacted with American student athletes, and visited area schools. They also engaged in team building, conflict resolution, and Special Olympics sports activities. On their final days, they attended Women’s NCAA Tournament games and participated in a clinic with the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers.
