June 11, 2009

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- A dozen Iraqi girls basketball players are attending the University of Tennessee Lady Vols basketball camp as part of a program designed to promote peace through sports.

The trip was sponsored by Sport 4 Peace/Global Sports Partners and SportsUnited, an international sports programming initiative of the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

The idea to host the girls was born after Sport 4 Peace conducted an Olympic basketball training camp for girls and women in Sulaimaniya, Iraq, last July. Upon returning to Knoxville, Sport 4 Peace drafted a proposal to bring a team of aspiring Iraqi girls basketball players to Pat Summitt's Basketball Camp.