As part of the partnership between BKT and One Team, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul held two special sessions dedicated to the United Nations Sustainability Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality) and Goal 13 (Climate Change). 

Fenerbahce, One Team and BKT support UN Sustainable Development goals

One Team-BKT legacy project: Gender Equality Session

The sessions were held at the recently refurbished indoor court at TEB Atasehir Anatolian High School in Istanbul, and gave Fenerbahce’s One Team participants the opportunity to learn important tips about these vital themes.

The meeting on gender equality was attended by four special guests: Fenerbahce star and One Team Ambassador Ismet Akpinar, the club’s Director of Basketball Operations Defne Patir, and Turkish boxers Busra Isildar and Evin Erginoguz.

Several different activities around gender equality were staged and world champion boxer Isildar thought it was a very worthwhile discussion as she said: “I gained new feelings and thoughts about gender equality in every sense in a very nice conversational atmosphere.”

One Team-BKT legacy project: Climate Change Session

The next session was dedicated to climate change, with the objective of using the power of basketball to create awareness among the children about the importance of looking after the planet – and the consequences if we don’t.

Fenerbahce’s One Team coaches – who supported both sessions – were joined by two guests: Baran Aslan, Fenerbahce Loleji Safiport player, and Bilge Han Kahraman, Marketing Director of Fenerium, a company that is working with Fenerbahce to transform waste into basketball jerseys through a plastic recycling process.

The club’s One Team Manager Manager Mert Ahmet Gunduz said: “This week’s theme was climate change, sustainability and ecology. The children had a lot of fun both this week and with the whole program. They also had the opportunity to improve themselves by raising awareness of all the subjects we cover. Children are our future, and especially this age group is important to us.”

Both the Atasehir Anatolian High School and the Fenerbahce representatives were very happy with the outcome of the sessions, and thanked Euroleague Basketball and BKT for this amazing opportunity.

One Team and BKT support UN Sustainable Development goals

As part of Euroleague Basketball's commitment to sustainability, last weekend's Final Four incorporated a number of environmental and social activities and initiatives.

Sustainability at the Final Four in Belgrade

The Final Four volunteers were introduced to the One Team program [in a special session on Wednesday, May 18,](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/one-team/news/one-team-welcome-session-for-final-four-volunteers/) led by the local One Team Managers and Ambassadors from Partizan NIS Belgrade and Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade at Ranko Zeravica Sports Hall. Two days later, [the Final Four Ambassadors met with participants from both Partizan and Zvezda at the FanZone at Savski Square](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/one-team/news/one-team-session-ambassadors-unified-tournament/) to participate in different One Team activities on the court. And, as a part of the One Team 10th anniversary celebration, the One Team participants from local clubs and the Final Four Ambassadors took the Stark Arena court for an emotional moment during Saturday’s championship game.

On the environmental side, Euroleague Basketball joined forces with the City of Belgrade to create awareness of the need to recycle by activating a recycling waste management system around the different event venues to collect plastic and organic waste separately. In addition, all staff members, volunteers, ANGT and media accredited groups were given free access to public transportation aimed to promote more sustainable mobility in the city. Moreover, as part of Euroleague Basketball's commitment to reforestation projects, [trees were donated and planted](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/euroleague-basketball-and-city-of-belgrade-join-forces-to-plant-trees/) at the Friendship Park of Belgrade.

Final Four in Belgrade: Community impact

One Team program took the center stage at the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague FanZone once again with the One Team Session & Ambassadors Unified Tournament at Savski Square in the Serbian capital.

One Team Session & Ambassadors Unified Tournament

Friday afternoon in Belgrade with a One Team event that brought to the same basketball court young participants from local One Team programs together with a host of famous names serving as Final Four Ambassadors.

Joe Arlauckas, Ramunas Siskauskas, Matjaz Smodis, Ibrahim Kutluay, Dusko Savanovic, David Rivers, Dejan Tomasevic, Igor Rakocevic and Patrick Femerling met two dozen participants of the Partizan NIS and Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade One Team programs at the FanZone's main court.

Together they celebrated the great positive impact that One Team is having in local Euroleague communities by participating in a typical One Team activity that encourages teamwork, commitment and decision-making, before running a Unified Tournament with inclusive rules, all in celebration of One Team's 10th anniversary.    

"I'm really happy to be here again after a three-year break. Those activities are very important for all the community, all the kids, and everybody," Siskauskas said. "I hope this will continue another 10, then 20 years. A long time."

Filled with laughter, smiles and the occasional scream of joy, it was one of those special events that leaves a lasting impact on the lives of young people.

An exciting weekend of festivities in the Serbian capital continued on 

"I think it shows unity, especially in situations and times like this, when it's very important to include anybody and everybody in activities like this to show togetherness," Femerling said. "I think that's the most important part. It's just fun. The kids had fun. We had fun. Nobody got a sunburn, so everything is perfect. If it wouldn't have been so hot, we would have played for another hour."

It was also a chance for youngsters from Special Olympics Serbia and care center Jovan Jovanovic ZMAJ along with the Final Four Ambassadors to showcase hundreds of fans in attendance what a typical One Team session looks like.

"The name says it all: One Team. Everybody is united here," Savanovic said. "You're joining a lot of ex-basketball players, the legends, with the kids, with the people who love the sport, with the volunteers, who really help, they make 50% of the success of every tournament, especially this Final Four in Belgrade. So, the message is positive, sharing good thoughts. The city lives and breathes basketball."

This season One Team, celebrates its 10th anniversary, a celebration supported by all the clubs and players from both the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup.

One Team, supported by Turkish Airlines as the One Team Founding Patron and with the collaboration of Special Olympics as Proud Partner, uses basketball to achieve real social impact in our communities. 

With an innovative model of interconnectedness across an entire continent, Euroleague Basketball and its clubs have developed a complete CSR program that brings together activities from each team in an integrated, impactful way, working under the theme of ‘community integration’ that actively addresses targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10 on Reduced Inequalities.

Each participating club develops a specific One Team project tailored to its own community needs to benefit groups in danger of exclusion due to problems such as substance abuse and gender, physical or intellectual disability. Since its founding in 2012, the One Team program has reached already, directly and indirectly, more than 23,000 participants through its various team projects.

A special welcome session for the enthusiastic Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four volunteers tipped off a busy week for One Team, Euroleague Basketball's social responsibility program, on Wednesday evening in Belgrade.

One Team Welcome Session for Final Four volunteers

The volunteers were officially welcomed to the Final Four with a One Team Welcome Session, a dynamic activity-filled event at the Ranko Zeravica Arena, which is also the home this week for the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament. 

This year, a total of 142 volunteers from 17 different countries have been chosen among a record number of 742 candidates that applied. All of them will ensure that everything runs smoothly during the Final Four activities taking place around the Serbian capital.

The volunteers official welcome took place on Wednesday with a fun session led by the One Team local Managers and Coaches, the Euroleague Basketball Ambassadors Dusko Savanovic and Joe Arlauckas, as well as special appearances by One Team Ambassadors from two local Euroleague Basketball clubs: Stefan Lazarevic of Crvena Zvezda mts and Aleksa Avramovic of Partizan NIS Belgrade.

"Joe and I had a lot of fun with groups of young and some not-so-young people. The majority of them are here for the first time with One Team, and it is beautiful," Savanovic said. "You can see on their faces they are enjoying this. It is maybe a unique opportunity for them to be in touch with professional athletes, and for us sharing our thoughts; it boosts us with energy. It brought me back to my beginnings when I was starting with basketball. It was beautiful."

Volunteers aged from 18 to 60 had a chance to take part in a fun series of activities promoting the importance of teamwork, while talking and sharing experiences with the ambassadors and players.

Just like the volunteers, the local players who spent this season competing in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the 7DAYS EuroCup, also had a wonderful time.

"It was really fun hanging out with them," Lazarevic said. "They were full of questions and it was great to share the moment with them, and to share my thoughts about basketball and the One Team organization. There is no bigger competition in Europe than the EuroLeague and I am honored to be part of the project."

Avramovic agreed: "EuroLeague is like one big puzzle and we are all the pieces, from the volunteers to the organizers, as well as the players and ambassadors, to share and show good emotions and good vibes and energy to the people. I will always be happy to be available for these kinds of events. I am very honored to be a One Team Ambassador."

This season One Team, celebrates its 10th anniversary. A celebration supported by all clubs and players from both competitions: Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup

One Team, supported by Turkish Airlines as the One Team Founding Patron and with the collaboration of Special Olympics as Proud Partner, uses basketball to achieve real social impact in our communities. 

With an innovative model of interconnectedness across an entire continent, Euroleague Basketball and its clubs have developed a complete CSR program that brings together activities from each team in an integrated, impactful way, working under the theme of ‘community integration’ that actively addresses targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10 on Reduced Inequalities.

Each participating club develops a specific One Team project tailored to its own community needs to benefit groups in danger of exclusion due to problems such as substance abuse and gender, physical or intellectual disability. Since its founding in 2012, the One Team program has reached already, directly and indirectly, more than 23,000 participants through its various team projects.

Two newly-refurbished basketball courts opened in Istanbul on Thursday thanks to a joint project between One Team, Euroleague Basketball's social responsibility program, and its partner BKT.

One Team and BKT open new courts in Istanbul

The indoor and outdoor courts are located at the public TEB Atasehir Anatolian High School, the partner of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul's One Team program. 

The court opening was attended by institutional representatives of Euroleague Basketball, BKT and Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, including star players and One Team Ambassadors Pierria Henry and Ismet Akpinar, who joined Thursday morning's court opening to help run a special activity with a group of 15 teenage students from the school as they enjoyed their new facility.

Abigail Martin, Euroleague Basketball's Director of Sustainability and Development Projects, was also in attendance, and she said: "It is a great honor to be here inaugurating these amazing courts we have refurbished thanks to our partnership with BKT and our social program One Team, supported by Turkish Airlines, and represented on this occasion by our club Fenerbahce Istanbul and its One Team work. These courts will make a positive change to the daily lives of students from TEB Atasehir Anatolian High School and are another great way to keep on celebrating the tenth anniversary of One Team."

BKT's Managing Director Lucia Salmaso said: "We at BKT are extremely glad to contribute to the growth of love for sport. We are proud that our support makes the gym of TEB Atasehir Anatolian High School finally accessible and new, so that students can find the special welcome that only sport can give offer. BKT wants to go beyond the role of sponsor – the real goal is to leave a mark, to help communities around the world to grow through sport. We want to take concrete actions and contribute to projects like this, that allow everyone to experience sport better, by means of inclusion and sharing."

Fenerbahce is delivering its One Team program to teenagers from low-income families who study at the school, using lessons from the basketball court to improve life skills such as motivation, decision-making, teamwork and effort. The club is also developing special content for future sessions related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 5 (on gender equality) and 13 (on climate action).

One Team Ambassador Akpinar said: "It was great to see the kids enjoying themselves and I'm really happy that my club has been able to work with One Team and BKT to give the students more access to basketball facilities. Playing sports regularly to stay fit mentally and physically is such an important part of growing up, and I look forward to coming back to the courts for more One Team sessions in the future."

One Team, supported by Turkish Airlines as the One Team Founding Patron and with the collaboration of Special Olympics as Proud Partner, uses basketball to achieve real social impact in our communities. 

With an innovative model of interconnectedness across an entire continent, Euroleague Basketball and its clubs have developed a complete CSR program that brings together activities from each team in an integrated, impactful way, working under the theme of "community integration" that actively addresses targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10 (on reduced inequalities). 

For more than 30 years, Balkrishna Industries Limited (BKT) has successfully focused on specialized segments such as agriculture, construction and industrial, as well as earthmoving, port and mining, ATV and landscaping operations. BKT as a company has managed to focus its attention on people and the planet ahead of business and profit, and moves naturally within certain so-called virtuous business parameters. Every year the company organises a large number of vastly different international social initiatives and supports the most vulnerable, such as children, and fundraising activities for countries hit by deforestation or by weather-related events. 

BKT also aims to put people and their wellbeing at the center through numerous sport sponsorships and related activations worldwide. BKT shares the One Team ideology and loves sport because it fully reflects its corporate philosophy: fair play, teamwork, respect, commitment and the importance of sharing. Sport is a powerful tool to act as a vehicle for positive and constructive values, and a global language of emotions, allowing a whole community to grow.

The players, who are Baskonia’s Ambassadors for the social responsibility program, surprised the girls and boys on the program by making a guest appearance at last week’s session at the Aldabe Civic Center.  

Baskonia’s One Team program is running throughout the season, working with the Gizarterako Association – the club’s social integration partner since 2013 – to deliver weekly sessions between October and May for a group of 16 children aged between 5 and 12 years old. The main topics they have worked on are respect, teamwork, efforts and motivation – using examples from basketball to learn these important day to day life skills.

The children greatly enjoyed spending time with Granger and Fontecchio, who said: “I had never been a One Team Ambassador before but I knew about the project and that it’s very important for the boys and girls. It was a pleasure to spend time with them and show them the values of basketball on and off the court.”

Granger added: “The experience is really nice, being able to see these children smiling and learning with basketball. It is very fulfilling.”

One Team, supported by Turkish Airlines as the One Team Founding Patron and with the collaboration of Special Olympics as Proud Partner, uses basketball to achieve real social impact in our communities. 

With an innovative model of interconnectedness across an entire continent, Euroleague Basketball and its clubs have developed a complete CSR program that brings together activities from each team in an integrated, impactful way, working under the theme of ‘community integration’ that actively addresses targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10 on Reduced Inequalities. 

Each participating club develops a specific One Team project tailored to its own community needs to benefit groups in danger of exclusion due to problems such as substance abuse and gender, physical or intellectual disability. Since its founding in 2012, the One Team program has reached already directly and indirectly more than 23,000 participants through its various team projects.

Bitci Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz stars Jayson Granger and Simone Fontecchio have been spreading some joy by spending time with the Spanish club’s One Team participants.

Granger and Fontecchio spreading joy with One Team

One Team encourages clubs to improve the lives of vulnerable young people across the continent through the power of basketball, and Panathinaikos OPAP Athens gave its One Team participants a once-in-a lifetime experience at last week’s home game against Real Madrid: the youngsters were introduced to the fans on the court during the half-time interval, and received a special presentation from EuroLeague legend and current club General Manager Dimitris Diamantidis.

Panathinaikos has been working with autistic children as part of its partnership with Special Olympics Hellas, and the club’s One Team Coach Artemis Panagi said: “Autism is not a choice, but accepting difference in others is. What if we give them wings, but society doesn’t allow them to fly? 

“I hope that everyone feels as accepted by society as these athletes felt during the closing ceremony. It was a memorable experience for them. They entered the arena like pros – they were cheered by the fans for their dedication to the program and left feeling proud of who they are!”

EuroCup team Joventut de Badalona also invited its One Team participants to watch last week’s game against Slask Wroclaw. One of the guests was 15 year-old Ayoub Cherradi, who said: “I’m having a great time. I love coming to play here every Monday. I'm learning a lot of things, because I didn't know how to play basketball and now I know the rules and how to play. We have learned to have a good attitude, to respect others, not only in basketball, but much more. We have also built relationships with our teammates.” 

Gorka del Corral, Joventut’s One Team Coach, added: “We have tried to teach them things about basketball that could also be useful to their personal life, like communication and respect. We wanted them to have fun but at the same time learn things related to basketball. It is a very nice experience, very enriching, because we teach them but they also teach us. One Team is very positive for the children but also for the club.”

PHOTO GALLERY

EuroLeague playoffs candidates AX Armani Exchange Milan and AS Monaco, along with EuroCup clubs JL Bourg and Slask, have also been welcoming One Team participants to their recent games, bringing the young people closer to their clubs and providing memories to last a lifetime.

One Team, supported by Turkish Airlines as the One Team Founding Patron and with the collaboration of Special Olympics as Proud Partner, uses basketball to achieve real social impact in our communities. 

With an innovative model of interconnectedness across an entire continent, Euroleague Basketball and its clubs have developed a complete CSR program that brings together activities from each team in an integrated, impactful way, working under the theme of ‘community integration’ that actively addresses targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10 on Reduced Inequalities. 

Each participating club develops a specific One Team project tailored to its own community needs to benefit groups in danger of exclusion due to problems such as substance abuse and gender, physical or intellectual disability. Since its founding in 2012, the One Team program has reached already directly and indirectly more than 23,000 participants through its various team projects.

Dozens of participants in One Team, Euroleague Basketball’s social responsibility program, have been enjoying the opportunity to attend games in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the 7DAYS EuroCup in the last few weeks.

One Team participants enjoying the best of European basketball

The club has been working alongside social partner Proyecto Vivir to deliver weekly sessions every Thursday at the club’s Alqueria practice facilities for a group of 16 participants – eight boys and eight girls, aged between 13 and 17. 

With the support of Valencia stars and One Team Ambassadors Victor Claver and Jasiel Rivero, they have used the power of basketball to learn about key life skills such as determination, perseverance, sacrifice, passion, discipline, and learning how to win and lose.

Paco Pardo, Valencia’s One Team Coach, explained: “From the beginning we try to know everyone in the project – meeting them, finding out where they come from. I think it’s a really innovative activity and the most important thing they take away is experience. How you live, how you overcome situations, asking questions so they can reflect and find answers in their own way. This is very important for their stability.”

One Team, supported by Turkish Airlines as the One Team Founding Patron and with the collaboration of Special Olympics as Proud Partner, uses basketball to achieve real social impact in our communities. 

With an innovative model of interconnectedness across an entire continent, Euroleague Basketball and its clubs have developed a complete CSR program that brings together activities from each team in an integrated, impactful way, working under the theme of ‘community integration’ that actively addresses targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10 on Reduced Inequalities. 

Each participating club develops a specific One Team project tailored to its own community needs to benefit groups in danger of exclusion due to problems such as substance abuse and gender, physical or intellectual disability. Since its founding in 2012, the One Team program has reached already directly and indirectly more than 23,000 participants through its various team projects.

Valencia Basket has completed another successful project with One Team, Euroleague Basketball’s social responsibility program.

Valencia successfully completes One Team program

In life as on the basketball court, it is necessary to have various abilities, ranging from motor skills to emotional and relationship qualities. One of the main goals of this year's project for One Team, Euroleague Basketball's social responsibility program, is to introduce and develop a sense of belonging and self-knowledge for the participants, giving them a greater understanding of their capacities and possibilities.

A voyage of self-discovery with Milan's One Team program

At AX Armani Exchange Milan, the One Team program is once again involving club coaches Marilisa Zanini and Alessandro Trombin, along with Laureus Italia sports psychologist Alessandra Stella. Five classes from the Arcadia Institute middle school have joined the project, and alternate on the basketball court of their school over the course of a morning.

There will be a minimum of eight meetings during the second half of the season, in which the boys and girls will experience the game of basketball but also try to look inside themselves and gain awareness of who they are and who they want to be.

In each meeting, games, videos and activities will be used to approach a specific life skill: effective relationships, effective communication, empathy, decision making, stress management, problem-solving, creative thinking and emotional management. 

Basketball will be the common language for everyone on the court to reinforce life skills and a sense of team and community. Milan One Team Ambassadors Kyle Hines and Gigi Datome – along with teammates Nicolo Melli and Sergio Rodriguez and assistant coach Gianmarco Pozzecco – are providing video contributions as a way of delivering a concrete message to the children.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="it" dir="ltr">📽🗣 <a href="https://twitter.com/OTEuroleague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OTEuroleague</a>: l’importanza delle relazioni efficaci secondo <a href="https://twitter.com/SirHines?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SirHines</a> e <a href="https://twitter.com/GigiDatome?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GigiDatome</a>! 🤝<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/insieme?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#insieme</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreAllOneTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreAllOneTeam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/10oneteam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#10oneteam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SirHines?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SirHines</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GigiDatome?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GigiDatome</a><a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Laureus_Italia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Laureus_Italia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ScaloMilano?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ScaloMilano</a> <a href="https://t.co/CLf5Ftirmc">pic.twitter.com/CLf5Ftirmc</a></p>&mdash; Olimpia Milano (@OlimpiaMI1936) <a href="https://twitter.com/OlimpiaMI1936/status/1502268122979569674?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</center>

Using the language of sport to deal with difficulties is the first way to offer mutual support and build secure and lasting relationships, especially in a team like Milan composed of players from all over the world – just as Arcadia Institute is located in Gratosoglio, a suburban neighborhood south of Milan that contains a mixture of cultural backgrounds.

Hines expressed his belief in the importance of community as he said: "To me, the team is everything. Unity and sharing a goal is very important. A group of people is more powerful than an individual."

Datome emphasized the role of each individual within team ambitions, saying: "The most important concept that I bring to everyday life is that each individual, with his own characteristics, brings his contribution to the final achievement of the goal. This happens in every team, and I think it happens in life, too."

One Team, supported by Turkish Airlines as the One Team Founding Patron and with the collaboration of Special Olympics as Proud Partner, uses basketball to achieve real social impact in our communities. 

With an innovative model of interconnectedness across an entire continent, Euroleague Basketball and its clubs have developed a complete CSR program that brings together activities from each team in an integrated, impactful way, working under a theme of "community integration" that actively addresses targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10 on Reduced Inequalities. 

Each participating club develops a specific One Team project tailored to its own community needs to benefit groups in danger of exclusion due to problems such as substance abuse and gender, physical or intellectual disability. Since its founding in 2012, the One Team program has already reached, directly and indirectly, more than 23,000 participants through its various team projects.