Sport for Hope Center to Encourage Community Involvement in Haiti

November 23, 2014 3:20 PM

The Sport for Hope Center was inaugurated in Port-au-Prince in a ceremony located at Olympic Park, land donated by the Haitian government. In attendance at the event were President Martelly; Prime Minister Lamothe; International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Bach; and Haitian Olympic Committee (HOC) President Larsen.

The SHC arose as a result of the IOC's partnership with private investors and the Haitian government. Together they funded the project that totaled $18 million. Bach, during his remarks, emphasized "The Sport for Hope Centre is open to all Haitians--from the young to the old . . . from professional athletes to beginners . . ."

The sports complex is a multi-purpose venue, containing indoor practice areas and a 2,500 seating capacity indoor competition hall. Plenty of outdoor sports courts exist for Olympic sports to be practiced. The SHC accommodates classroom, office, gym, and medical facilities. The American and Haitian Red Cross will collaborate to provide an emergency medical unit it will operate jointly.

President Martelly expressed his gratitude to the IOC for its funding help in building Olympic Park, upon which SHC stands. He also requested Bach to please express to the IOC how much the establishment of SHC has meant to the country of Haiti, who wishes to raise its profile on the world stage. In turn, Bach lauded the HOC for its energy and commitment to make SHC a realization, especially the generous donation of land to make the project possible.

Reply to this article

Sport for Hope Center to Encourage Community Involvement in Haiti

Leave a Reply

Recent Comments

Recent Articles

Photo Stories