Islamabad: The two Dutch sports players, legendary hockey Olympian Floris Jan Bovelander and Dutch-Pakistani footballer Kayanat Bokhari, will visit Pakistan at the end of April 2025. The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Islamabad announced the visit in connection with the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP), observed annually on April 6.
The visit will be part of a broader celebration of the transformative role of sports in promoting peace, development, and inclusion. This year’s IDSDP theme, “Leveling the Playing Field: Sport for Social Inclusion,” underscores the potential of sports to unite people across cultures and communities.
Bovelander and Bokhari will engage with Pakistani youth, athletes, sports organizations, and local communities. Their interactions aim to inspire and promote the power of sports as a tool for social change and cohesion.
Floris Jan Bovelander, famed for his unmatched penalty corner skills and a key figure in the Netherlands’ victory over Pakistan in the 1990 Hockey World Cup final in Lahore, will revisit the city as a symbol of the enduring hockey legacy shared between the two nations.
Kayanat Bokhari, is an international footballer who proudly represents Pakistan. Bokhari is known for her advocacy for women in sports, therefore her visit will spotlight the importance of female empowerment and inclusivity through football.
