User:UN establishes ‘World Basketball Day’ on December 21… First in team sports
A monumental day has arrived that can shed light on basketball history.
Philippine media 'SPINph' reported on the 18th, "The UN General Assembly recognized the influence that basketball has had on global commerce, peace, and diplomacy at the general meeting held at the UN Headquarters in New York on the 16th, and designated December 21st as 'World Basketball Day'. It was decided to enact it. “This is the first such case in the history of team sports.”
In his opening speech at the General Assembly, Antonio Ragdameo, Philippine Ambassador to the United Nations, said, “Basketball is a sport that is recognized globally and transcends borders, cultures, and languages. “People from diverse backgrounds come together to build solidarity, communicate, break down barriers, and contribute to peace,” he said.
Philippine Ambassador Lagdameo continued, “The Philippines is the country with the most basketball courts per capita and also has the highest basketball popularity index. He also added, “The Philippine Basketball Association was founded in 1975 and continues the longest tradition in Asia.”
Basketball was invented by sports coach and professor James Naismith. The first game was held at the YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts, on December 21, 1891, and the United Nations designated December 21 as ‘World Basketball Day’ to commemorate this.
Basketball was adopted as an official sport at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, and with the growth of the NBA, it has established itself as a sport loved around the world. According to FIBA (International Basketball Federation), there are about 450 million people around the world who enjoy basketball.
The UN, which established 'World Basketball Day', praised the Philippines, Indonesia, and Japan for successfully hosting the 2023 FIBA Men's Basketball World Cup, and said, "With the World Cup as an opportunity, basketball will continue to work for peace and development around the world." “I ask that we all work together to make progress,” he said
