ISLAMABAD: Dutch Ambassador Henny de Vries on Tuesday hosted a special reception to honour the remarkable achievements of women in sports.

The event marked the visit of Dutch-Pakistani football player, Kayanat Bokhari, to Pakistan and aimed at shining the spotlight on women in sports and the importance of promoting gender equality and empowerment.

The evening was dedicated to women in sports and fostering a culture of inclusivity and diversity.

While welcoming the guests, Ambassador de Vries said: “It is my great pleasure to welcome you all to this special reception celebrating the remarkable achievements of women in sports. Tonight, we gather to honour the incredible talent, dedication and perseverance displayed by female athletes around the world. I want to extend my congratulations to Kayanat Bokhari and the entire Women Legacy team for their incredible achievement as the runners-up of the National Women’s Championship this weekend.”

The Netherlands embassy collaborated with Football Factory, Right to Play and Interloop to organise a clinic and other activities to support and empower women in sports.

The ambassador said: “Women face numerous challenges in the world of sports simply because of their gender. Discrimination, lack of funding and unequal opportunities have all been significant obstacles that women athletes have had to overcome. However, despite these challenges, women continue to excel and inspire us all with their determination and resilience.”

Kayanat, who has been in Islamabad for nearly a month playing for the Women Legacy Football Club, said: “I met Henny in January at the Hague and we were talking about how to empower women in Pakistan through clinics and other activities, without really knowing if anything would come out of it because it seemed far away. Then six months later, the founder of the Football Factory reached out to me to ask if I would join the team because he had heard my name at the embassy as well. I joined a month before the tournament, not really expecting much but it all came a full circle and worked out.”

She went on to say that she was born and raised in the Netherlands but had Pakistani parents, which was why she played for the Pakistan national team and for Football Factory.

“I just want to say I am super proud of each and every girl standing here because you all worked so hard, and our coaches who made all of this happen. For some of the girls it was their first tournament and that makes all this support, investment and belief in us so incredible,” she added.

Captain of the Women Legacy Football Club Malika-i-Noor thanked the embassy, saying, “I have spent half my life in football, and I know how special it feels to be recognised for your work and your journey in a country like Pakistan, and how much it means to be celebrated.”

“Eight months ago, I was looking for a place to train and came to Football Factory and now it feels unbelievable that in just eight months, we’ve become the runners-up of the national championship. Not only do I have a club where the training meets the standards of modern football, but I also have teammates who are like little sisters to me. The support we’re receiving from the Netherlands means a lot to us. It shows that football can help build friendships between our countries, and that’s something really special,” Malika-i-Noor added.

Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2024