Indian cricket captain Rahul Dravid and his Pakistani counterpart Inzamam-ul Haq have been selected to become spokesmen for 'Sport for Development and Peace' at the United Nations.

The duo have been invited to the UN Headquarters in New York to attend a special event aimed at building on the momentum generated by the International Year of Sport and Physical Education, among a galaxy of top sportsmen from around the world on April 3.

"Secretary General Kofi Annan will designate the two cricket captains as Spokesmen for Sport for Development and Peace," Djibril Diallo, Director in the UN Office of Sport for development and peace, said.

Diallo said cricket had played a major role in easing tensions between the two sub continental nations leading to a summit meeting between their Prime Ministers.

"They [the two cricket teams] have, therefore, made a contribution to peace," he said.

Other sportsmen on the occasion will be Brazil's legendary football player Pele, top-ranked tennis star Roger Federer and New York Marathon winner Tegla Loroupe of Kenya.

The UN is making sport a key component in its efforts to achieve Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) aimed at halving poverty by 2015.

The UN General Assembly designated 2005 the International Year of Sport and Physical Education, which was commemorated by activities worldwide, and the UN is now entering a new phase of more action, more co-operation and more implementation of Sport for Development and Peace initiatives.