At the YMCA Helsinki Basketball Festival, held from May 15–17, basketball, youth engagement, and international collaboration came together in a powerful celebration of sport and community.
The festival welcomed teams from YMCA Thessaloniki, YMCA Germany, and beyond, creating a vibrant atmosphere that highlighted both the competitive spirit of the game and the values that make basketball a force for good.
A particularly meaningful part of this year’s festival was the growing collaboration with the FIBA Foundation, which helped bring a stronger values-based dimension to the event, welcoming 167 teams to join in this incredible experience.
The partnership contributed to a more youth-friendly and visible festival experience through ideas such as a FIBA Foundation corner in the festival area, a themed photo wall, a Basketball for Good quiz, a prize draw, and a Safe Sport Promise wall. These elements helped turn the festival into more than just a tournament — it became a space for reflection, visibility, and positive messaging around fair play, inclusion, and safe sport.
Through the proposed FIBA Foundation Fair Play Award, players are recognised not only for performance, but for respect, sportsmanship, and the example they set for others.
This kind of recognition strengthens the educational value of sport and supports a culture where character matters as much as competition.
By bringing coaches into the conversation, the festival created a wider learning environment that reached beyond the games themselves and helped shape the next generation of sporting leaders.
The international dimension of the festival was clearly visible throughout the weekend, featuring international teams in seven categories, allowing players of different ages to compete against them perhaps for the first time ever.
The girls’ team who won the YMCA European Championship (U15) played against Catz from Lappeenranta, Finland, in the finals of their category, eventually placed 2nd , winning the YMCA Cup.
The presence of international teams contributed significantly to the atmosphere, with Henrik noting that their participation adds both familiarity and international reputation to the tournament.
This year also celebrated a proud YMCA achievement at the festival. Both European Champions came from Helsinki YMCA: HNMKY/Black in the Girls U15 category and HNMKY/Black in the Boys U15 category. The girls placed 2nd in their category but were the best YMCA team, earning the YMCA European Champion title.
The boys placed 4th overall but were likewise the highest-ranked YMCA team in their category.
Their results reflect both sporting excellence and the strength of YMCA youth basketball development in Helsinki.
With international teams, strong collaboration, and a focus on fair play and education, the festival became a powerful showcase of young talent and shared impact.
