By Douglass Teschner, Peace Corps Country Director in Ukraine
On August 27, 2011, nearly 40 Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and family members gathered at the home of Paula Evans and Tom Katen (Kazakhstan 2000-2002) in Kyiv to celebrate the 50th anniversary. The group collectively served in more than a dozen Peace Corps countries, some as long ago as 1968, including three members of Peace Corps Ukraine group 1 that arrived in 1992.
In 2012, Peace Corps will celebrate its 20th anniversary in this strategic Eastern Europe country where PCVs are paying an important role in helping Ukrainians transition from its Soviet past.
As a former Peace Corps Volunteer myself (Morocco 1971-73), I spoke briefly on the impact that Peace Corps had on my life and told the group that they are very much part of the Ukraine Peace Corps family. (more…)
This blog entry is written by an American Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV) currently living and working in Ukraine. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps, an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, the U.S. Embassy hosted a competition among all Ukraine-based PCVs and will be posting the top three over the next week, beginning with the overall winner, followed by the two runners up. Today U.S. Ambassador John F. Tefft swore in the latest group of PCVs at a ceremony at the historic Teacher’s House.
The Peace Corps traces its roots and mission to 1960, when then Senator John F. Kennedy challenged students at the University of Michigan to serve their country in the cause of peace by living and working in developing countries. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps to promote world peace and friendship.
The Peace Corps’ mission has three simple goals:
Helping the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
Helping promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
Helping promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans
Peace Corps volunteers work at the request of other countries to help develop better opportunities for their people, living and working with people in remote villages and burgeoning cities in the developing world. Since 1961, more than 200,000 Americans have served as volunteers in 139 countries, teaching English, helping people improve their families’ health and nutrition, working on HIV/AIDS issues, encouraging entrepreneurs to build their own businesses, introducing new farming techniques to bolster crop yields and protect the environment, and providing leadership to the young.
To learn more about 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps please read E-journal.
On August 27, 2011, nearly 40 Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and family members gathered at the home of Paula Evans and Tom Katen (Kazakhstan 2000-2002) in Kyiv to celebrate the 50th anniversary. The group collectively served in more than a dozen Peace Corps countries, some as long ago as 1968, including three members of Peace Corps Ukraine group 1 that arrived in 1992.
In 2012, Peace Corps will celebrate its 20th anniversary in this strategic Eastern Europe country where PCVs are paying an important role in helping Ukrainians transition from its Soviet past.
