WBSC Legacy Club launched on International Day of Sport for Development and Peace
The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) has announced the creation of the WBSC Legacy Club to mark the 10th International Day of Sport for Development and Peace.
A key goal of the WBSC 2022-2028 Strategic Plan is to grow baseball and softball and to make them relevant in people’s lives, while the WBSC is committed to using its sports as tools to bridge cultural gaps, improve health and education standards and aid social development around the world through innovative programmes and initiatives.
Built on the core values that transcendbaseball and softball, such as team spirit, integrity, respect, diversity andfun, the vision of the WBSC Legacy Club is to achieve this with the help offans and donors worldwide.
The WBSC is calling on its community tosupport this exciting initiative, and many others to come, by donating to theWBSC Legacy Club.
The funds raised will be used solely forthe creation of future initiatives to help make baseball and softball more accessibleall over the world, while promoting inclusion and integration through sport.
WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari said: “I’mvery proud to be able to mark the 10th anniversary of InternationalDay of Sport for Development and Peace with the launch of the WBSC Legacy Club.
“We already have important initiatives inplace that use baseball and softball to drive inclusion and collaboration incommunities. The Legacy Club will enable us to significantly increase thenumber of programmes we are able to offer thanks to the anticipated generosityof baseball and softball’s incredible global community.
“Sport occupies a unique place in societyand has the power to unite people from all cultural backgrounds. Today is animportant day to celebrate all that has been achieved so far and look ahead tothe work that still needs to be done to drive positive social change throughour sport.”
Already in 2023, the WBSC has launched thefirst long-term project for people suffering from displacement in the JordanianRefugee Camp of Azraq, using Baseball5 as a tool to promote inclusion andintegration of refugees and displaced people.
One of the main goals of the project is toform a Refugee Team to compete at the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026, a projectwhich has already received support from the International Olympic Committee inthe way of a $50,000 donation to help fund the programme. Internationally licensedcoach Mr. Chedli Mokrani has already held a clinic, while more than 50 youngrefugees training on a dedicated Baseball5 field every week.
Prior to that, various initiatives haveaimed to expand the legacy of baseball and softball, including the IOCregeneration project for Fukushima, the introduction of Baseball for the Blindand Wheelchair Softball and through short-term projects involving Baseball5 inBurundi, Za’atari and Palestine.