Yesterday evening in Amsterdam, the great Manchester United, Ajax and Dutch National Team goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, celebrated his career in his much deserved testamonial match at his old home of the Ajax Arena.
Showing how important Edwin, who just so happens to be one of our Ambassadors, has been to football throughout his hugely successful career, is the list of names that joined him in his testamonial.
Just a brief collection of the players included Dutch legends such as Dennis Bergkamp, Marc Overmars and Edgar Davids, who took part as well as recent greats from Edwin’s Man United team such as Rio Ferdinand, Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney.
Edwin won two Champions League trophies, one with Ajax and another, 13 years later, with Man United.
So, with these achievements in mind, what stands out in your memory as his finest season, match or even save?
Let us know and the most popular will be read out on Twitter @LaureusSport
People taking part in this year's Fraternity Cup with Paris' iconic Eiffel Tower in the background
One of our most important messages here at Laureus is that well-rounded, fulfilled children are the most likely to remain so in later life.
We believe passionately that sport can help achieve these things in today’s youth.
That is why it was so exciting to see the great fun and enjoyment being had in Paris recently at this year’s Fraternity Cup.
The Fraternity Cup is a remarkable football tournament set up in 2010 that involves teams from all corners of the world who gather together for an entire week of competition in Paris.
Even though it’s just in its second year, from the fun that was being had from children of so many different nationalities enjoying the game together, it is clear the tournament is already a firm success.
Kids from all over the world took part in the tournament
The tournament came to a fantastic conclusion on the day of the final when, just a few hours before kick-off, children from all the teams came together to unveil a remarkable mural that really showed the spirit of diversity that is so integral to the Fraternity Cup.
Children from all the countries were invited to add a representation of their homeland on the work
Once the tournament had come to a close, we had just enough time to offer one of our French Laureus-supported projects a final treat.
Very much keeping the football theme alive, we organised to take children from one of our Laureus-supported projects in France, Golf Educatif, on a memorable trip to that most famous of French stadia, the Stade de France. Being the home of France’s 1998 World Cup win, it was particularly special to see how excited the project participants were to visit this amazing place.
It seems so much of what Laureus stands for is represented in the Fraternity Cup. The sight of children, regardless of their background or upbringing, using sport as a way to engage with each other goes hand in hand with what we are so passionate about.
If you have any memories of sport helping bring people together we would love to hear about them. So, be sure to let us know below.
In the meantime, we can’t wait until Fraternity Cup 2012!!
People all over South Africa held celebrations this week to mark the 93rd birthday of Nelson Mandela.
On the day now known as Madiba Day, one of our projects, the Indigo Youth Movement based in Durban, used the opportunity to launch a brand-new after school skateboard clinic.
20 young skateboarders will be offered the chance to complete a new life skills programme with the project
What’s more, the project coaches have selected 20 promising young skaters for the opportunity to go through their skateboarding life skills programme over the next six months.
The launch was organised to coincide with Madiba Day celebrations
This is only the beginning of a massive expansion plan Indigo Youth Movement have to further assist with youth development through the sport of skateboarding.
Indigo Youth Movement are using skateboarding to help children to develop life skills
And if the day wasn’t special enough already, it was particularly exciting for the project leaders and members since plans are also afoot to expand Indigo Youth Movement to Cape Town in the future.
One of the most rewarding things to see here at Laureus is how a single sport can travel the world over and remain relevent to so many different people.
The kids visited by Tony Hawk recently in London at the Fight for Peace project loved watching the skateboard legend do some tricks. And to see children half the way across the world in South Africa using skateboarding to better their lives truly shows how sport can work across borders and political divides.
Tony Hawk visits Indigo Skate Camp
Laureus World Sports Academy Member skateboard legend Tony Hawk has presented a brand new portable Half-Pipe to the Indigo Youth Movement in Isithumba, a country village near Durban.
Here’s a short interview with Layne Beachley and Edwin Moses from Sydney which you are reading first on the Laureus Blog:
Edwin Moses Layne Beachley at Grassroots Sport Project in Sydney
