Celebrating an afternoon of sports diplomacy, 75 students attended a basketball master class, skills competition, and VIP game at the U.S. Embassy in commemoration of the 200th Anniversary of U.S.-Russia diplomatic relations. The youth basketball clinic was organized in cooperation with the Kirilenko Kids Foundation, founded by Andrei Kirilenko, NBA star forward with the Utah Jazz and member of the Russian Men's National Basketball Team. Chargé Russell hailed Kirilenko and the students as "sports diplomats" whose participation acts as a bridge to bring people from different countries and cultures together in a spirit of friendship and fair play.