Inzamam, Dravid invited for UN event to promote peace through sport

Lahore, Mar 9 (UNI) Inzamam-ul-Haq and Rahul Dravid have been invited by the United Nations to rub shoulders with a galaxy of top sportsmen of the world at a special event to showcase promotion of sports for development and peace.

The two captains have been invited for the April 3 event, to be held at the UN Headquarters in New York under the auspices of UN Office of Sport for Development and Peace, in recognition of the role played by cricket teams of the two countries in easing tensions in the subcontinent.

The UN General Assembly designated last year as the International Year of Sport and Physical Education, which was commemorated by activities worldwide, and the UN is now working hard for implementation of Sport for Development and Peace initiatives.

''The UN is making sport a key component of efforts to achieve Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) aimed at halving poverty by 2015. Secretary General Kofi Annan will designate the two cricket captains as Spokesmen for Sport for Development and Peace, Director of the UN Office of Sport for Development and Peace Djibril Diallo was quoted as saying by The News today.

Other sportsmen expected on the occasion include Brazil's legendary footballer Pele, top-ranked tennis star Roger Federer and New York Marathon winner Tegla Loroupe of Kenya.

UNI XC PDS SP1346