Last month, the U.S. Mission in India joined sports fans in welcoming the National Basketball Association to Mumbai for its first-ever pre-season games in India. U.S. Ambassador to India Kenneth I. Juster celebrated the event with a video highlighting U.S.-India sports diplomacy. Over the past year, Mission India has utilized sports exchanges to teach teamwork, leadership and communication skills; counter human trafficking; and promote disability rights. The video generated buzz in traditional and social media ahead of the games by featuring the ambassador’s basketball skills. Speaking to the Times of India newspaper, Juster summed up the impact of the games, “Sports is a great common denominator. It brings people together. Folks may not share the same background or political perspective, but when they get on the sports field or watch from the stands, they are all the same.”
Video courtesy of the U.S. Embassy in India
