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US Department of StateWASHINGTON, D.C. /eNewsChannels/ — The U.S. Department of State welcomes its first sports exchange delegation from Turkey to the United States. From June 27-July 9, 2013, eight wheelchair basketball athletes and four coaches will participate in activities on inclusion and equality for persons with disabilities.

While in Washington D.C., the Turkish athletes will play wheelchair basketball with American student athletes at George Mason University and MedStar National Rehabilitation Network. The athletes will then travel to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for intensive wheelchair basketball clinics, and team building and conflict resolution activities.

This Sports Visitors program supports the U.S. Department of State’s global promotion and practices that respect diversity regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender, race, sexual orientation, or disability; and recognition that persons with disabilities have the same rights as non-disabled persons and must be provided access, opportunity, inclusion, and full participation on an equal basis with others.

To learn more about the U.S. Department of State’s sports diplomacy programs, please visit: http://eca.state.gov/programs-initiatives/sports-diplomacy.