For the past 19 years, young tennis champions from around the world have had the opportunity to meet in Paris, France, to compete in an international tournament with an emphasis on fair-play and cross-cultural understanding. These players are taking part in a tennis tour of the world's capitals, which after Paris and Beijing will be coming to Washington, D.C. for the first time this November.

I want to congratulate the organizers of the tournament for their commitment to the educational and cultural dimension of this event. Between matches, the players will participate in workshops run by UNESCO and the European Union about a variety of global issues, raising mutual comprehension and awareness through multi-lingual discussions and exchanges.

I offer my support to all of those who will make this event possible and my encouragement to all of the young players taking part in the Junior Ambassadors Tennis Cup.

Pierre Vimont
Ambassador of France