US embassy cable - 04COLOMBO1779

UNCLAS COLOMBO 001779 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SA/PPD; ECA; D 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, OPRC, KMDR, OIIP, PREL, CE 
SUBJECT: Cultural Envoys Faulkner and Freeman Connect to Sri Lankan 
Youth 
 
 
1. (U) SUMMARY: Culture Connect envoys Courtland Freeman and Omari 
Faulkner elicited extremely positive feedback among a rarely-reached 
segment of the youth audience during their three-day program in Sri 
Lanka October 11 to 14.  The two basketball envoys reached hundreds o 
high school and college-aged students eager to absorb their training 
and meet authentic American sports stars.  This program allowed the 
mission to open doors to schools and other institutions formerly abse 
from our contacts, and was magnified by laudatory features in the loc 
press.  End Summary. 
 
2. (U) Cultural envoys Courtland Freeman and Omari Faulkner did an 
outstanding job connecting to hundreds of students and youth in Sri 
Lanka through three days of clinics, workshops, games and media 
interviews.  More than 200 students and young basketball players from 
the national teams -- both men and women -- participated in workshops 
and clinics during the envoys' program.  They also conducted a 
theoretical workshop with national and regional coaches in which they 
successfully conveyed different styles and approaches to coaching 
basketball. 
 
3. (U) All the players the envoys worked with were genuinely thrilled 
to be receiving such high-level coaching, and observers noticed marke 
improvement in their technique and skills after just one two-hour 
workshop.  Faulkner and Freeman were professional, courteous, patient 
and culturally sensitive, winning over their audience at every sessio 
 
4.  (U)  The pair also gave several media interviews in which they 
emphasized the theme of people connecting through basketball, a 
universal game.  A report appeared on the Sri Lankan national TV news 
and several laudatory articles have appeared, with the largest and mo 
detailed appearing in the October 15th English newspaper The Island, 
along with a couple photos.  The media exposure spread the word that 
the U.S. was interested in improving the level of basketball in Sri 
Lanka and forging ties to all sectors of society, not just the elites 
These articulate and talented young men were exactly what post needed 
to reach a new, younger audience, students and players already asking 
us when the next set of envoys will come.  Many thanks also to ECA's 
Brian Sexton for his patience, flexibility and understanding of the 
local culture. 
 
LUNSTEAD