As part of ECA’s International Sports Programming Initiative, World Learning, Inc. partnered with the Giant Basketball Academy, Education through Sports International, the Mediterranean Youth Association, and the Georgia Council for International Visitors to conduct a two-way exchange with the aim of using basketball as a tool for developing leadership, promoting tolerance, and fostering intercultural understanding. During the second part of the exchange, from March 25 through April 6, 2014, 12 American participants (five boys, five girls, and two coaches) traveled to Adana, Mersin, and Istanbul, Turkey where they practiced learning basketball skills and engaging in leadership development and conflict resolution sessions. The high school students from Marietta, Georgia met up with the group that travelled to the U.S. in 2013 and also worked with former NBA player Gheorghe Muresan.
