The Indiana Center for Cultural Exchange

USPORT- Lebanon

The Indiana Center for Cultural Exchange (ICCE) and the Center for Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding (CCRP) in Beirut, Lebanon have designed an international sports programming initiative called Unity Through Sports (USPORT) specifically for Lebanon. This initiative will enhance and improve the infrastructure of youth basketball in Lebanon by improving technical coaching proficiency, as well as enhancing coaching methodology to include sportsmanship, leadership and tolerance training.

USPORT'S enhancement of basketball programs is taking place in all five sectors of Lebanon (North, South, Bekkha Valley, Mount Lebanon, and Beirut), and includes coaches and youth from all ethnic/religious communities (Shi'ite, Sunni, Druze, Orthodox, Catholic and Armenian Christian).

USPORT coaches and CCRP personnel attended a multifaceted professional TOT program in Indiana in the Fall of 2004 that included:

•	Advanced training for Lebanese basketball coaches and NGO professionals by Joby Wright and his highly experienced coaching staff at Indiana University
•	Youth leadership training by Jerry Peters at Purdue University
•	Tolerance and conflict resolution training with Rashied Omar and George Lopez at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, and sportsmanship training with Nicole LaVoi at the Center for Ethical Education and Democracy at the University of Notre Dame

These USPORT coaches and CCRP professionals are training other Lebanese coaches, and holding workshops around the country for youth. In the fall of 2005 basketball season, the Junior National Baskeball Team of Lebanon, that had just won the Middle East Championship, attended a special Indiana University basketball camp, a Purdue University's leadership program, and a University of Notre Dame's tolerance/sportsmanship program. They returned home to support the USPORT workshops with other high school youth around the country.

This initiative is funded by the three ICCE universities, the CCRP and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State.

Purdue University
Donald Mitchell
Jerry Peters
Scott Jackson

University of Notre Dame
Nicole M. LaVoi
Rashied Omar
George Lopez

Indiana University
Lynn Jamieson
Joby Wright
David Henderson

Center for Conflict Resolution & Peacebuilding
Christine Crumrine