MIES (Switzerland) - On June 22, one day after the annual FIBA Open hosted at the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball, the FIBA Foundation board met in a hybrid session, combining physical attendance with virtual participation.
During the fourth assembly of the 2023-2027 cycle, several key topics were discussed.
Activity Report of the Cultural Heritage Unit
The strategy of the Cultural Heritage Unit is divided into 5 areas of activities: Collections & Historical Archives, Patrick Baumann House of Basketball, FIBA Hall of Fame, Community of Basketball Historians, and Cultural Programs.
The Board members were shown the progress of the collections and the historical archives expansion before being presented with the recently launched digital portal of the Pedro Ferrándiz Library, which is now available online through the Olympic World Library. FIBA has therefore become the first International Sports Federation and fourth overall partner of the Olympic World Library network.
One major update of the session was on the FIBA Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony 2026, which took place on April 21, alongside the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026 Draw.
This year's Class included Sue Bird (USA), Céline Dumerc (France), Clarisse Machanguana (Mozambique), Dirk Nowitzki (Germany), Ludwik Miętta‑Mikołajewicz (Poland), Ismenia Pauchard (Chile), Hidayet Türkoğlu (Türkiye), and Wang Zhizhi (China).
Finally, the Board learned about the resounding success of various FIBA Foundation cultural programs, including the FIBA Photo Contest 2025; the publication of the French version of the comic “La valise d’Eliane,” inspired by the Swiss team’s journey to the inaugural FIBA Women’s World Cup in Chile in 1953; the key collaboration on the FIBA Women’s World Cup documentary produced by FIBA Media; and the exhibition held during the BCL Final 4 in Badalona.
Activity Report of the Basketball For Good Unit
The Basketball For Good Impact Report 2025 was shared with the committee. The document reflects the work of the FIBA Foundation work which positively impacted over 376,000 young people worldwide in 127 countries. These figures illustrate the growing impact of the Foundation around the world.
Building on a Teach the Teachers principle, the Basketball For Good movement keeps growing across the globe as 150 Mini Basketball educators, 22 Youth Leaders, and 10 Basketball For Good Facilitators were trained. With the launch of the Basketball For Good Playbook, they are equipped with all the tools to expand their impact.
The FIBA Foundation has taken a step forward in enhancing the social impact & legacy of FIBA Events, as Basketball For Good initiatives have been implemented at all the FIBA Continentals as well as various youth events in 2025. This year, the Foundation is leading the Mascot Education Program of the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026.
The Board then acknowledged the promising applications of the Propose a Project Platform, which received a record number of 400 requests. Following the initial review by the Basketball For Good Advisory Committee, 100 outstanding applicants were approved to receive support, who will be informed in the coming weeks.
Activity Report of the Communications & Fundraising Unit
The FIBA Foundation Board received an update from the Communications & Fundraising Unit. Key numbers of the recent initiatives and plans for the upcoming months were presented to the members.
An update on the communication was presented, showcasing the success of the new website and the constant growth of the digital reach.
The FIBA Foundation continues to strengthen its fundraising strategy and build internal capacity, establishing a long-term approach to unlock additional funding and support the delivery and expansion of its activities.
Other matters
The remainder of the meeting was dedicated to discussions on financial and administrative matters.
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The FIBA Foundation is the social and legacy arm of FIBA that addresses the role of sports, particularly basketball, in society, preserving and promoting basketball’s values and its cultural heritage.
The FIBA Foundation believes that basketball has the power to educate and inspire youth, and it facilitates this by implementing Basketball For Good projects around the world.