ISLAMABAD: Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Henny de Vries has hosted a reception at her residence in honour of the Dutch and German hockey teams visiting Pakistan.

The reception marked the end of Dutch Hockey Club HGC’s visit as the team flies out after conducting hockey clinics with the Khawaja Junaid Hockey Academy and playing matches in Lahore.

Ambassador Henny de Vries welcomed the guests to event sharing the significance of sports in general and hockey in particular.

“As some of you know, last year in February 2024, for the first time in 22 years, a Dutch hockey team, came to Pakistan to play matches against a team of the Prime Ministers Youth Program Pakistan. I sincerely hope these visits are the start of a long tradition and contribute to the revival of hockey in Pakistan. This week has underlined the importance of sports for everyone. Besides being important, especially for youth, to develop a healthy lifestyle, discipline and teamwork,” she said.

The Dutch ambassador said: “Sport has the power to build bridges. It brings people together transcending cultural and geographical boundaries. I have seen how sports, especially hockey, connects the Netherlands and Pakistan. Through sports we realise that, however different we might seem, many similarities unite us. Love for hockey runs deep in the veins of the Netherlands and Pakistan. Both our countries lead the ranks of Hockey World Cup and this week we have seen this shared love for hockey in several incredible matches.”

The matches in Lahore and Islamabad showcased the skill and ability of the athletes but also provided an opportunity for cultural exchange and mutual understanding as the visiting teams explored the historic city.

Shafqat Ali Khan, Additional Secretary Europe, said: “Tonight we gathered not only to celebrate sports but to forge connections that transcend borders. The Netherlands legacy in field hockey is unparalleled, inspiring athletes worldwide. Your visit is a testament to the unifying power of sports in bridging cultures and fostering respect.”

Fareed Ahmed, the Dutch-Pakistani coach of the HGC Heren 1 team, was the captain of the Pakistani Olympic Hockey team in the 2012 London Olympics. He said: “Last year I had the honour of organising the visit of my team through the support of the friends and colleagues at the Khawaja Junaid Hockey Academy. As you know we were the first team in a long time to come to Pakistan and I am thrilled that the journey has opened the doors for others.”

Olympian Khawaja Junaid said: “This partnership is not just about playing matches; it’s about igniting dreams in our youth’s hearts.”

He said the Khawaja Junaid Hockey Academy was an academy that worked with over 500 underprivileged youth in Pakistan, a lot of whom were orphans, adding that through hockey these youth are able to access education and opportunities in Pakistan.

Team Manager of the Dutch team Robbert Jan Donker said: “This has been a great experience; it was my first trip to Pakistan. I have to come back. We really enjoyed the matches as well.

The stadium in Lahore was quite an experience. It is so much bigger than we are used to, it is the largest stadium in the world. We have a young team and they walked in awestruck as the crowd was singing and cheering.”

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2025