The Department of State is proud to support the 2008 12 Giant Men Basketball Tour by bringing American coach Kaniela Aiona, of Lake Forest College in Chicago, to Turkey. The 12 Giant Men Tour, organized by the Turkish Basketball Federation and sponsored by Garanti Bank, aims to improve the skills and knowledge of young basketball players of all levels throughout Turkey. Coach Aiona started his 10-city tour near Samsun, a city in the Black Sea region, in two towns - Çarşamba and Vezirköprü - where he and a Turkish basketball coach provided training for young basketball players. The clinics were open to the public and were attended by many of the excited parents of the children.