The long-standing world record holder in the 800-meter run Wilson Kipketer spoke on a panel discussion of the Basel Peace Office about peace and sport on 24 May. Kipketer, originally from Kenya, is a Danish former middle distance runner who was three times world champion in the 800-meters in the 1990s. From 1997 to 2010 he continuously held the world record over 800 meters.
Today, Wilson Kipketer, together with other athletes, is actively engaged in the organization Peace and Sport. This international organization works on projects around the world that promote peace through commitment to sport, including in crisis areas such as Haiti. "Sport is educational for life, it teaches you about failure, joy, disappointment and self control", says Kipketer who has been involved for years with the organization Peace and Sport, “I believe sport has the power to unite people, and to have respect for each other.”
Wilson Kipketer at the event of the Basel Peace Office
The evening event took place at a workshop for young people who are committed to peace and disarmament projects. Besides Kipketer, peace laureate Alyn Ware from New Zealand, Roland Pavloski, former coach of the Star Wings, Maren Kroeger from the United Nations Office on Sport for Development and Peace in Geneva (UNOSDP), Bert Ballegeer, project manager of the Belgian Homeless Cup and Carola Szemerey of the Youth Future Project participated in the panel discussion.
Some of the interviews with Wilson Kipketer and articles about his visit to Basel are available online (in German):
http://www.tageswoche.ch/de/2013_24/sport/550156/wilson-du-musst-etwas-aendern.htm
http://www.basellandschaftlichezeitung.ch/basel/basel-stadt/der-ehemalige-spitzenlaeufer-wilson-kipketer-sprach-in-basel-ueber-den-spitzensport-126626687
http://regiobasel.ch/weltklasselaeufer-wilson-kipketer-in-basel-24-mai-2013/
http://www.eurojournal.net/2013/05/22/wilson-kipketer-spricht-in-basel/