US embassy cable - 05SANTIAGO1636

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 001636 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR ECA (NBISHOP) 
STATE FOR WHA/PDA (DPRINCE) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SCUL, OEXC, KPAO, CI 
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL IN CHILE 
 
1.  SUMMARY: AS PART OF ITS MISSION PERFORMANCE PLAN, 
POST HAS INITIATED YOUTH SPORTS ACTIVITIES AS A 
GRASSROOTS EFFORT TO ENCOURAGE INTERACTION WITH NEWER 
GENERATIONS OF CHILEANS WHO DO NOT MEET THE CRITERIA FOR 
TRADITIONAL POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC ELITES.  POST WILL BE 
REQUESTING U.S. GUEST COACHES AND SPEAKERS TO CONDUCT 
CLINICS/CLASSES FOR RECENTLY LAUNCHED LITTLE LEAGUE 
CHILE. END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  JUSTIFICATION: AS NOTED IN OUR MISSION PERFORMANCE 
PLAN GOAL ON MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING, POST HAS EMBARKED ON A 
SERIES OF ACTIVITIES TO STRENGTHEN AND BROADEN 
PARTICIPATION OF UNDER-PRIVILEGED YOUTH IN LITTLE LEAGUE 
BASEBALL.  WHILE CHILE ENJOYS STEADY ECONOMIC GROWTH AND 
IS A STABLE, DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY, LIKE ANY DEVELOPING 
NATION (OR DEVELOPED NATION FOR THAT MATTER), IT LAGS 
BEHIND IN SOME SOCIAL PROGRAMS FOR "AT RISK" CHILDREN. 
 
3. WORKING WITH LIKE-MINDED CHILEAN AND AMERICAN BUSINESS 
AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, THE AMBASSADOR AND MRS. KELLY 
LAUNCHED LITTLE LEAGUE CHILE IN APRIL, 2005.  LITTLE 
LEAGUE CHILE IS CHARTERED BY LITTLE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL 
IN WILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA AND IS BEING GRANTED NON- 
PROFIT NGO STATUS BY THE CHILEAN GOVERNMENT.  BESIDES A 
BINATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS (OF WHICH THE AMBASSADOR IS 
HONORARY CHAIR), LITTLE LEAGUE CHILE OPERATES ITS OWN WEB 
PAGE AND WILL HANDLE ALL OF ITS ADMINISTRATIVE AND FUND- 
RAISING RESPONSIBILITIES AS A SELF-SUSTAINING 
ORGANIZATION. 
 
4.  HAVING COMPLETED THEIR FIRST SEASON OF PLAY, SEVEN 
TEAMS ARE NOW PLANNING FOR A SECOND SEASON.  PARTICIPANTS 
INCLUDE LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD TEAMS FROM SANTIAGO, AS WELL 
AS TEAMS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS.  THE BOARD 
ALREADY HAS PLANS TO INCLUDE TEAMS FROM REGIONS OUTSIDE 
SANTIAGO.  LITTLE LEAGUE CHILE IS ALSO EXPANDING TO 
INCLUDE KIDS UNDER NINE (TEE BALL) AND YOUNGSTERS AGE 13- 
15 (SENIOR LEAGUE).  LITTLE LEAGUE CHILE PLAYS TWO 
SEASONS PER YEAR, IN THE SPRING AND FALL. 
 
5.  POST SEEKS ECA SUPPORT FOR SPORTS AMBASSADORS/GUEST 
SPEAKERS AND EXCHANGES TO INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF 
THIS OUTREACH EFFORT.  TO DATE, LITTLE LEAGUE CHILE HAS 
PROVIDED ACCESS TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, MUNICIPAL 
ATHLETIC DEPARTMENTS, LOCAL SCHOOLS AND GOVERNMENTS WITH 
WHOM WE HAVE NOT HAD MUCH CONTACT.  IN AN AGE OF 
TRANSFORMATIONAL DIPLOMACY, POST HOPES TO GIVE NEW 
GENERATIONS OF CHILEANS AND THIRD-COUNTRY CHILDREN A 
CHANCE TO UNDERSTAND HOW AMERICAN VALUES OF TEAMWORK, 
GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP, AND FAIR PLAY TRANSLATE FROM THE 
BASEBALL DIAMOND TO REAL LIFE. 
 
6.  WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ECA. 
 
KELLY