From young and stubborn lad to Member of the Order of Orange Nassau. Stephan Melein has received a ribbon because he has been committed to badminton in Almere for more than 30 years. And from badminton he got involved in the organization of the International Youth Games Rendsburg: an international exchange program that is organized annually.
The Youth Games have been there since 2002 and every year Almere or one of the seven partner cities is the stage for the program. Teams of young people aged 14 to 18 from all these partner cities participate and that is what Melein is all about. “Culture is very important. I think the cause of many conflicts has to do with misunderstanding each other’s culture. Both in and outside Almere. During the Games, sport is the connecting factor where children realize that cultures are not necessarily wrong.”
“I’m grateful for that”
Although Melein thinks it is special that he has been appointed Member of the Order of Orange Nassau, the gratitude of his young people means much more to him. It’s the little things that melt my heart. Tough behavior is more common in this age group, but then there are those moments when they are children again. I once went abroad with a youth player who behaved very tough, but still went to bed with Pino pajamas. Well, that will come to me for a while.”
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