U.S. State Department Sends Sports Envoys To Empower Youth In Angola

Office of the Spokesperson
Department of State
Washington, DC

August 5, 2013

The U.S. Department of State announced today an upcoming sports envoy program to empower youth in Luanda, Angola. In partnership with the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA), Ticha Penicheiro and Cedric Ceballos, will travel to Luanda to engage with underserved youth both on the court and in the community. This program builds on the U.S. global commitment to empower young people to serve as economic and civic actors in their communities.

From August 5-8, 2013, Penicheiro and Ceballos will meet with 200 Lusiada University students to encourage community involvement on the basketball court and in the classroom, and conduct basketball clinics for over 200 underserved boys and girls from Luanda, Cazenga, and Sambizanga. The two athletes will also participate in a literacy event at the Lar Kuzola orphanage.

A four-time WNBA All-Star, Penicheiro is the WNBA all-time assists leader and was a member of the 2005 WNBA Champion Sacramento Monarchs. Ceballos played 11 seasons in the NBA, which included one NBA All-Star selection (1995) and the 1992 NBA Slam Dunk Champion title.

To learn more about the U.S. Department of State’s sports diplomacy programs, please visit: http://eca.state.gov/programs-initiatives/sports-diplomacy.

For more information, please contact of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at ECA-Press@state.gov.