U.S. ambassador commemorates UN Day with baseball

New Delhi: on Saturday, U.S. Ambassador Richard Verma marked the 70th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations at a baseball tournament at the Leo Flanagan ball field in Chanakyapuri. The day of games, sponsored by New Delhi Little League and Grand Slam Baseball featured teams from several schools around New Delhi – including Modern School Barakhamba, Pathways - Noida and Delhi Public School-R K Puram and players aged 8 to 16.

During a noon-time ceremony marking United Nations Day the Ambassador remarked “Standing here today I see young people from the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, South Korea, Latin America,and of course so many students from India, all playing this great game. It’s wonderful how sports bring people from across the world together.” He also noted that baseball was the theme of this year’s 4th of July celebration at Roosevelt House.Mrs. Kiran Mehra - Kerpelman, Director, UN Information Centre for India and Bhutan added: “I believe wholeheartedly in sports as a medium for bringing out the best in children. The United Nations promotes sports for peace and development and we at UNIC have taken successful initiatives in many parts of India, in football and in cricket. As such, we are so happy that today, on UN’s 70th birthday, we are able to add baseball to this list and are seeing a mini-United Nations team.”

Gurmat Raunaq Sahni, Co-founder of Grand Slam Baseball stated sports is a healthy option that brings in discipline in the youth and teaches them lessons of life.. The youth of tomorrow needs to be proactive in their actions and realize that their actions matter. They should become the new change and not throw their responsibility on the next line.

Rosie Rameet Sahni, President of Grand Slam Baseball, observed that this tournament was a perfect way to mark UN Day saying “Sports is the only activity, which brings people of different classes, creeds or nationalities together on one equal platform. We at Grand Slam Baseball aim to make world class sports facilities and experiences available through baseball in India.”