MANILA (Philippines) -  The Mascot Education Program (MEP) promotes education about recycling and the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 within the three Host Countries – Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines adding to the social legacy of the event.

After successfully attending a 3-day Youth Leaders Workshop in Manila, 14 Youth Leaders from the three Host Countries were equipped to implement the MEP within their local communities, while being accompanied through monthly virtual mentoring sessions.

In collaboration with their Local Organizing Committees (LOCs), these Youth Leaders are helping the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Mascot ‘JIP’, spread the message, and encourage recycling best practices, which is this year's theme for the World Cup.

These initiatives will become sustainable Basketball For Good projects to ensure a long-term impact and leave a lasting legacy for future generations of the World Cup hosts' local communities.

Using the Mascot Education playbook, the MEP has so far been positively kick-started in the three countries well ahead of the anticipated FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 tip-off.

Dreaming Big

The Japanese Youth Leaders created opportunities for children to dream big by integrating the MEP into their existing ‘Dream Big Okinawa’ project.

Not only did they visit schools, they also implemented the MEP on special occasions like the Trophy Tour in Sendai on 17^th July, during the pick-n-shoot activities, and also at the 1-month-to-go event in Okinawa. MEP and recycling activities were done on-site for this event.

During the World Cup, they will further promote the program and recycling through a MEP Booth at the Fan Zone in Okinawa Arena.

Inclusion matters

Since June 2023, the Indonesian Youth Leaders did several elementary school visits and carried out different educational yet fun games to achieve their goal.

One visit in particular truly showed their desire to express that the World Cup belonged to everyone and that no one should be left out. The team visited a deaf basketball academy to include the deaf community in the MEP initiatives they were carrying out. To further broaden the local reach and impact, additional volunteers were trained to assist the Youth Leaders with the implementation of the MEP.

Adding some complimentary activities to those offered in the MEP playbook, the Youth Leaders really made the initiative their own, by adopting the activities according to the local context, further demonstrating their leadership skills.

One Filipino school at a time

The Youth Leaders from the Philippines have implemented the MEP by visiting local basketball camps and schools in their community. 

With the joint effort of their LOC and local partners, the Youth Leaders were able to implement the MEP further alongside a LOC Sustainability School Tour.

To extend the impact beyond Metro Manila, two Youth Leaders from the Visayas are planning additional activities in Cebu, Leyte, and Iloilo.

More school visits are being planned for the next weeks, and even more promotion of the MEP will be done during the World Cup within the Fan Zone by the team.

Local implementation within all three countries has so far been made possible in collaboration with FIBA Foundation partner, Molten, donating basketballs to help the schools make the program impact more long-term.

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‘JIP’, the mascot of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, has been designed to encourage fans to consider the environment and educate young generations about recycling through its built-in back hoop while its power shoes are run on energy converted from recycled waste.

The FIBA Foundation is the social and legacy arm of FIBA that addresses the role of sports and particularly basketball in society, preserving and promoting basketball’s values and its cultural heritage.

The FIBA Foundation believes that basketball has the power to empower, educate and inspire youth and facilitates this by implementing Basketball For Good projects around the world.