Meeting each other for the first time, the top young players from the Turkish and Hellenic Basketball Federations shook hands and welcomed each other to the camp before heading off for a day of sightseeing in Istanbul, Turkey.

The Greek and Turks shared the cultural past together by embarking on a guided tour of historic sites including the Pathriorcate Center Gregoryan Orthodox Church (built in 1720 AD), the Blue Mosque (built in 1616 AD), and the Hagia Sophia (Sixth Century AD).

This year's Basketball Without Borders participants represent the countries of Greece and Turkey. Staton R. Winter/NBAE/Getty Images

Later in the afteroon, the campers, were divided into four teams (Grizzlies, Kings, Pistons and Suns) without regard to their nationality and received their uniforms and footwear provided by Champion Europe and Nike. In addition to basketball instruction and competition, the young players are sharing living quarters with their new teammates, eating three meals a day together and will participate in seminars led by the United Nations intended to promote leadership, conflict resolution and living a healthy life without drugs.

Joined by Seattle SuperSonics forward Vladimir Radmonovic, Peja Stojakovic and Hedo Turkoglu of the Sacramento Kings will lead a group of Turkish and Greek professional basketball players serving as coaches for the second annual Basketball Without Borders in Istanbul, July 5-8.

The inaugural Basketball Without Borders took place in July 2001 in Treviso, Italy, with Vlade Divac of the Kings, Toni Kukoc of the Atlanta Hawks and five other NBA players from the former Yugoslavia uniting to work with 50 children from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, FYRO Macedonia, Slovenia and Yugoslavia.

This year's Basketball Without Borders brings together 50 young Greeks and Turks who were selected to participate on the basis of their basketball skills and leadership potential.