On August 25 last year, December 21 became a special day for the world. On the opening day of FIBA World Cup 2023, basketball was recognized by the United Nations as a global sport that can change the world, and they designated December 21 as “World Basketball Day” which made basketball the first team sport in the world that has an official UN day1.
The FIBA World Cup 2023 was a memorable for Japanese basketball, as our national team made historic wins to obtain a berth of the Olympic Games for the first time in 48 years, but the opening day of the big event of global basketball should be remembered from broader perspectives as well.
The inaugural World Basketball Day on December 21 past year was globally celebrated, including FIBA (International Basketball Federations), which organized a celebration event in collaboration with the IOC2, and the NBA added a featured page to their official webcite with Commissioner’s comment and celebration events all over the world3. At the United Nations New York headquarters a special workshop titled “Basketball and Peace” was held with the greeting of “Happy World Basketball Day” attended by a former NBA player Julius “Dr. J” Erving, along with diplomats and youth leaders4.
Here, many might think, “How are our hoops related to UN? Why?”
If you have the same question, read this book:
The author of this book, Professor David Hollander, who teaches the course with the same title at NYU, reasonably explains why and “how basketball can save the world.“
In this book he analyzes the nature and features of basketball in unique ways. And he compiles them into the 13 principles with plenty of examples on the ground, including NBA players and executives, from “Cooperation” to “Transcendence,” while detailing how basketball can contribute to improving social issues with introduction of best practices by global NPOs, which triggered the team of the delegation to start their historically meaningful action for the UN resolution.
The purpose of our newly launched media “GlobasketUnited” is to disseminate this “Basketball for Good” movement in Japan and globally, and we feature the author of this book in this first piece of its flagship “GlobasketUnited” article series, assuming that this concept is the foundation of the establishment of World Basketball Day, as well as for our World Basketball Day Japan project.
Fortunately, I serve as an Advisory Committee Member of FIBA Foundation with the author of the book, and I was given an opportunity to interview him about background and how World Basketball Day (WBD) was establsihed.
Q1) What inspired you to think of the idea of WBD? Was it a series of your experiences and something you have been thinking about? or was there any specific event that made you take this action?
It started as a result of school work. I teach the couse of the same title of the book, and our class work with students developed into this idea. So initial actions were taked by students, sending numerous power point decks to diplomats in New York.
The world needs a common language. The world needs a place to begin working on the end goals of meeting the 2030 Sustainable Development goals and other goals that only a whole world can solve. Basketball because of its unmatched combination of global ubiquity and influence provides that starting point. One world, one thing, one day, all of us, together.
Q2) You mentioned at the UN Round Table on last year’s WBD that you were struggling at the beginning in realizing your idea of establishing World Basketball Day, and you made a team to make it – who were the leaders and how was the leadership team formed and how have you overcome the obstacles?
You need one country to bring forward a resolution for adoption at the UN General Assembly. There are several nations that have strong relationship with basketball, of course including US, but there was no country that has more love or a deeper relationship to basketball than the Philippines. Philippine Ambassador Noel Novcio was my point guard. Like basketball, you need to know who is good at what. And I fully trusted Ambassador Novcio to process all the negociations, while I follow-up and respond as needed on a daily basis.
Q3) Could you explain the processes of your journey to the formal establishment on August 25? How did you feel or react at the moment that the UN resolution was adopted?
From meeting Noel in June to adoption on the floor of the UN on August 25 was a daily attention and negotiation. Noel was so skillful in this regard.
In terms of the process, we had to let all the nations know and receive comments, and to pass a resolution by UN, it’s all or nothing vote. The deligation was led by Philippines with Indonesia, Nicalagua and Peru who volunteered to help, and the initiative was sponsored by 77 countries, including Japan. As long as no nations say no, it will pass by concensuss, and no one objected. In fact, it was just lucky and coinsidental that the resolution was adopted on the day of the opening of FIBA World Cup 2023, while we had hoped to make it commemorative as the delegation cannot designate the date of adoption.
At the moment of the UN resolution, I was there in the General Assembly at UN and saw the vote in person, sitting next to Philippine Embassy team. I stood up and hugged one of the staff members, and said only two words: “Thank you.”
*The picture of UN General Assembly on the day of the adopitation of the resolution at the top of this articile is provided by Professor David Hollander.
4) How much of the WBD 2023 event did you get involved in addition to the UN Round Table and 1 on 1 at NYU ?
We convened a special session at the UN with me, Julius “Dr J” Erving and Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame plus dozens of diplomats from many different countries. After that session, we organized a Diplomats Basketball game at the local YMCA. It was a perfect representation of what WBD is all about.
5) How did you feel looking at the celebrations of WBD globally on the day?
I was overwhelmed at how many notes and stories from all over the world came pouring in. It was as if the whole world have been waiting for World Basketball Day to be created!
6) We know you are a baller and well understand and feel the power of sports to unite people. Could you briefly share your own personal story when you felt the power of basketball for the first time in your life?
When I was 6 years old my father build a half basketball court in our backyard. I learned a special language in that space. I have been speaking that language in spaces like that all over the world since that time.
7) How would you expect WBD to develop globally in the few years and for the further future?
I would expect it to become the sacred day on the world calendar. Clocks will stop, babies will not cry, a global sense of peace and balance will be felt in every heart.
(c) David Hollander
Professor Hollander will be generously sending a video message for our upcoming webinar “World Basketball Day 30-days to Go” on November 22, and please join us to learn more about the power of basketball and how we can save the world together.
https://worldbasketballday.nextbigpivot.org/20241122
This “GlobasketUnited” article series will be featuring Embassies in Tokyo on how popular basketball is in their countries and about how the world can be united through basketball. Please contact us if you wish to read about your country first.
