Sports has traditionally been a unifying factor, bringing together people be it in competition or simply as fans. Central to sports, is its ability to promote inclusivity and create a sense of belonging, all the while promoting physical pursuits. Key to sports is “Inclusion,” a term that not only presents a sense of belonging but more significantly as being part of something even bigger. It is a common denominator, a powerful vehicle that can promote cohesion, harmony, and world peace. If that can be said about sports then, diplomacy is the embassy version of sports, and participants are its ambassadors, the special envoys and high commissioners that carry sports’ message. Sports diplomacy is therefore an effective tool for dialogue between different actors.
In this context, sports diplomacy emerges as a vital tool for dialogue, with its participants acting as ambassadors. The French government, for example, has actively engaged in sports diplomacy in Kenya, as highlighted by H.E. Arnaud Suquet, the French Ambassador to Kenya. “Sport is a key element of our partnership between Kenya and France. Sports diplomacy is a priority for France in Kenya, and I am pleased to see the numerous partnerships we have established,” SUQUET remarked.
Against this backdrop, the French government through AFD supports the launch of Basketball Experience in Kenya. “We are quite glad to be part of this program—the Basketball Experience here in Kenya. As for the French embassy, we will focus on a very important aspect of the program: the practice of basketball in schools. We believe that sports is a very important and powerful vehicle for education, empowering the youth and addressing the issue of equality between girls and boys,” added the Ambassador.
He adds that the universal appeal of sports allows for promoting values like inclusivity and equality, which can be challenging to convey in other contexts. Sports can effectively communicate complex issues, such as peace and environmental preservation.
When asked what the Basketball Experience’s role is in youth empowerment, Ambassador Suquet reiterates that “sports is also about youth empowerment and participation. That we have built in other places in Africa, small grassroots infrastructures that give opportunities to the youth to express themselves and also have job opportunities going forward we hope to do the same here in Kenya.”