From the PresidentTHE 50th ANNIVERSARYIt’s about the futureby Kevin F. F. QuigleyAfter years of planning, the50th Anniversary Celebrationis finally here!One thing that is increasinglyclear is that in order for this goldenanniversary to be successful, it has to beabout much more than celebrating theaccomplishments of the past.Rather, this anniversary year needsto be about the future. In particular,we need to take advantage of thisanniversary to revitalize the <strong>Peace</strong><strong>Corps</strong> so that it makes more progress inadvancing its timeless mission of makingthe world more peaceful and prosperous.Since the <strong>Peace</strong> <strong>Corps</strong> was establishedin 1961, the world is changed utterly.Now, more of us live in cities than thecountryside. We have far greater accessto education and healthcare, and manyof us live longer. Perhaps most strikingly,the world is interconnected throughtechnology, trade, and travel in waysunimaginable just a half-century ago.Despite this, some fundamental thingsare unchanged: our world is far frompeaceful and too many individuals livein need.In planning for this anniversary year,we kept a number of principles in mind:1) whatever we do should advance thefundamental work of the <strong>Peace</strong> <strong>Corps</strong>,2) activities should enable participationby anybody who values the <strong>Peace</strong><strong>Corps</strong>, and 3) the momentum from theanniversary year should propel the workof the <strong>Peace</strong> <strong>Corps</strong> and its communityfor decades to come.To lay a solid foundation for thisanniversary effort, three years ago welaunched a campaign to generate moreresources for the <strong>Peace</strong> <strong>Corps</strong> so that itcould realize much more of its initialpromise. These hoped-for resourceswere not just more money but alsoinnovative ideas and entrepreneurial newleadership.Due to the remarkable work ofour community, this campaign hadunprecedented success. We helped securethe highest appropriation in the agency’shistory, and supported new leadershipand a set of innovative ideas that canhelp improve the <strong>Peace</strong> <strong>Corps</strong>.With this foundation now in place, thefuture-oriented anniversary events canbegin. These events will begin where itall started: at the University of Michigan.There, along with the University andthe Brookings Institution, NPCA isorganizing a symposium on internationalvolunteering.On March 1, 2011, the day that the<strong>Peace</strong> <strong>Corps</strong> was established through anExecutive Order, there will be a globalbirthday party with participants in the139 countries where the <strong>Peace</strong> <strong>Corps</strong> hasbeen and individuals in all 50 states. Wehope that you will consider hosting abirthday party wherever you are.On September 22-25, 2011,coinciding with the half-centuryanniversary of the signing of the<strong>Peace</strong> <strong>Corps</strong> Act, there will be a set ofcapstone events in Washington, D.C.One of these events, we hope, willbe a ceremony at the site of a futurecommemorative to the historicalsignificance of the founding of the <strong>Peace</strong><strong>Corps</strong> and the values that it represents.We expect that this new commemorativewill be near the <strong>National</strong> Mall, whichhelps record and narrates our evolvingAmerican story, and will be a welcomesupplement to the other nationalcommemoratives regarding service,courage and sacrifice.This commemorative would be onemanifest expression of our collectiveefforts to “bring the world back home”and perhaps the most tangible means topromote “…a better understanding ofother peoples on the part of the Americanpeople.” (See page 26 for furtherdiscussion of this commemorative.)Throughout this anniversary year,we will also be showcasing the winnersof our “My Piece of the <strong>Peace</strong> <strong>Corps</strong>,”YouTube Video Contest. We havealready received some poignant entriesfrom host country colleagues whose liveshave been touched and transformedby the <strong>Peace</strong> <strong>Corps</strong>. We hope that yousubmit a video and share with us howthe <strong>Peace</strong> <strong>Corps</strong> has touched your life.We look forward to your participationin these upcoming events, especially aswe use this golden anniversary year tohelp the <strong>Peace</strong> <strong>Corps</strong> play its part inbuilding a more peaceful and prosperousworld in the future.Kevin F. F. QuigleyKevin F. F. Quigley is President ofthe <strong>National</strong> <strong>Peace</strong> <strong>Corps</strong> <strong>Association</strong>.He served in Thailand, 1976 to 1979.Please send your comments topresident@peacecorpconnect.org.8 WorldView <strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2010</strong> <strong>National</strong> <strong>Peace</strong> <strong>Corps</strong> <strong>Association</strong>
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