Nelson Mandela, the visionary South African leader, grasped the incredible ability of sports to rally people of all backgrounds, “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does.”
We cannot deny the truth in Mandela’s words. Sports have, in an unrivalled manner, empowered communities to look past their differences and celebrate what they have in common. Football (called soccer in the U.S.), in particular, enthralls fans from all over the world, serving as a truly great leveler. Everyone is equal on the pitch, and anyone can triumph in the game.
Micron proudly sponsors tournament a second time
On Dec. 7 and 8, more than 130 athletes representing seven countries from the region streamed onto the grounds of Yio Chu Kang stadium in Singapore for the Special Olympics Asia Pacific Unified 5-a-side Football Tournament, which Micron sponsored for the second time. Gathering steady momentum since the first annual event was held in Singapore in 2012, the tournament has featured teams such as Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam over the years. The guest of honor at this year’s opening ceremony was Singapore’s Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu.
A long-time supporter of Special Olympics Singapore, Micron believes in empowering athletes to fulfil their potential by providing them with opportunities to hone their skills and develop their confidence. The values of inclusion and solidarity in understanding and supporting people with disabilities through adaptive or disabled sports resonate with us. These unified events promote friendship and provide a wonderful platform for athletes and the community to foster deeper understanding through sport.
Micron volunteers and leaders take part
The athletes bonded over a shared love for football and relished the opportunity to play the sport together, while the wider community experienced firsthand the camaraderie and friendship among athletes.
Eight Micron leaders took to the field during the exhibition game at the opening ceremony, where they participated in a friendly football match alongside Special Olympic athletes. More than 100 Micron team members, who volunteered at the tournament as officials, field assistants, competition table assistants, staging table assistants and awards stewards, also glimpsed how sports celebrate unity in diversity through their interactions with Special Olympic athletes.
“Through the volunteer experience, I saw Special Olympic athletes engaging in and enjoying sport with the wider community, which truly embodies the inclusivity that our society should work toward,” said Fab 10 Advanced Technology Singapore’s Process and Equipment Engineering Manager Biswajit Majumdar who assisted at the competition table.
Micron enriches lives by supporting disabled sports
Micron’s support for disability sports in Singapore includes annual donations through the Micron Foundation to fund a range of Special Olympics initiatives such as athletics, badminton and basketball tournaments. We also partner with the Singapore Disability Sports Council to organize sports tournaments and build disabled athletes’ confidence in competing at larger-scale international meets. Earlier this year, 260 Micron team members served as lane marshals, team liaison officers and learning journey ambassadors at the Micron Singapore World Para Bowling Tournament 2019. These collaborations enable us to live our Micron values for the causes we are passionate about.
“Micron believes in enriching the communities where our team members live and work, and we fully support Special Olympics Singapore’s vision of enhancing their athletes. We are privileged to be part of this meaningful event, and I am especially heartened to see our team members interacting with the athletes and embodying the spirit of inclusion and unity,” said Micron Corporate Vice President and Singapore Country Manager Chen Kok Sing, who attended the tournament’s opening ceremony.
At Micron, our goal is clear. We are constantly engaging with the communities where we work and live, and we readily involve our team members in our outreach efforts. As we end the year, we appreciate the activities we were part of and are excited to see how our commitment to giving back and inclusion steers us forward in the coming year!