ZARAGOZA (2016 FIBA U17 World Championships for Men and Women) - It isn't only the basketball on the court which is destined to make it a special experience for those attending the historic 2016 FIBA U17 World Championships for Men and Women in Zaragoza.

This first-ever dual hosting of the event will see a celebration of the very best in rising male and female ballers from around the globe as part of a broader and exciting youth festival in the Spanish city.

The games will be played out alongside an array of other events.

On the morning of Thursday 23 June, Spain's U17 men's team and the USA's U17 women's team will assist in planting a tree in the ecological Water Park 'Luis Bunuel' in Zaragoza. This Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity will convey the value of caring for the environment and serve as a legacy of the 2016 FIBA U17 World Championships for Men and Women in the city. A plaque will be placed with the tree to commemorate the tournaments.

Along with the two teams, the event will be attended by: FIBA President, Horacio Muratore; Sports Councilman from Zaragoza Council, Pablo Hijar; Mayor of Utebo, Miguel Dalmau; Enviroment Councilman from Utebo Council, Ruben Estevez; Aragones Basketball Federation President, Jose Miguel Sierra; International Affairs Director from the Spanish Basketball Federation (FEB), Jose Montero; Bajo Aragon Business Scope Director from CaixaBank, Raquel Baldellou; a representative of Endesa, the presenting sponsor of the 2016 FIBA U17 World Championships for Men and Women.

The first of two music concerts will take place on Thursday evening at Caixa Forum, with the second one to follow a week later in the same venue.

An Innovation and Talent Congress will take place at the same venue on Tuesday 28 and Wednesday 29 June. There will be a range of speakers at the Congress, who will focus on education and the development of technology within a sporting context.

The list includes Javier Martinez who is Development and International Business Manager at Atletico Madrid, Iris Cordoba the General Manager of Microsoft's Global Sports Innovation Center, Angel Sanz a former Spanish basketball player and entrepreneur, as well as Pascual Martinez who is Strategy and Development Director at the Spanish Basketball Federation.

A pair of Players' Workshops will be held on Sunday 26 and Monday 27 June, with the women benefiting from the attendance of Swedish national team star and FIBA Players' Commission representative Elisabeth Egnell, as well as Spanish legend Elisa Aguilar.

And 24 hours later, the men's workshop will see Egnell joined by former Finland national team and NBA forward, Hanno Mottola as he takes time to offer his priceless experience.

The workshops are part of a commitment from the FIBA Players’ Commission to educate young players about the importance of preparing for life after the sport at the start of their respective careers - rather than waiting until near the end.

FIBA