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The Peace Corps Commemorates 50 Years of Service at Smithsonian Folklife Festival
The Peace Corps is a featured program at the 2011 Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., from June 30-July 4 and July 7-11. The festival highlights the contributions and accomplishments achieved by Peace Corps volunteers, staff members, and host countries in 139 countries over the last 50 years and includes daily demonstrations from current and returned Peace Corps volunteers (RPCVs) and local artisans, craftspeople, musicians, theatrical groups, and dancers from Peace Corps host countries. Each demonstration showcases the work of Peace Corps volunteers in economic development and income generation; ways volunteers have helped support local groups to help educate communities; and food and cooking traditions that have played a role in the Peace Corps experience.
If you aren't able to attend in person, then look at our photo essay of the festival to see how the festival showcases the work of Peace Corps volunteers in economic development and income generation; ways volunteers have helped support local groups to help educate communities; and food and cooking traditions that have played a role in the Peace Corps experience.
The Peace Corps Commemorates 50 Years of Service at Smithsonian Folklife Festival
All photos in this photo essay of the Smithsonian Peace Corps Folk Fair are courtesy of the US Peace Corps and were taken by Edward Perry and Heather Ohms.
The Peace Corps World Map Project at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.
Peruvian artisans demonstrate their craft at the Peace Corps Village at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival .
Returned Peace Corps Volunteers share their stories for posterity in the Oral Histories tent.
Returned Peace Corps Volunteers exchange stories in the Reunion Tent at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.
Peace Corps demonstrates organic farming from Jamaica at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.
Peace Corps facilitates Georgian cooking demonstration at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.
Returned Peace Corps Volunteers exchange stories in the Reunion Tent at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.
Peace Corps demonstrates examples of appropriate technologies and sustainable solution projects at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival 2011. Creating charcoal out of corn cobs is featured here.
Peace Corps demonstrates examples of appropriate technologies and sustainable solution projects at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival 2011. A Festival participant charges a cell phone using a bicycle.
Kids look at the Peace Corps World Map Project at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.
An attendee enjoys exploring the work of Malian artisans in the Peace Corps Villiage at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.
Malian artisans demonstrate thier craft at the Peace Corps Villiage at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.
According to various traditions throughout the world, "wish trees" posses spiritual power to which offerings are made. At the Smithsonain Folklife Festival, Peace Corps offered attendees the opportunity to attach messages to a wish tree to honor the memory of Peace Corps friends lost or to offer good will to Peace corps Volunteers and partners around the world.
Moroccan artisans demonstrate thier craft at the Peace Corps Village at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.
Peace Corps and Guatemalan counterparts construct with the public, a sample wall on the National Mall using recyled bottles and trash at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival 2011.
Opika Performance Group from Ukraine on the Peace Corps World Stage at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival 2011.
Peace Corps facilitates Georgian cooking demonstration at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.
Filipino Dancers perform at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.
Peace Corps and Guatemalan counterparts construct with the public, a sample wall on the National Mall using recyled bottles and trash at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival 2011.
A map of where Peace Corps Volunteers have served at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.
Peace Corps facilitates Kyrgyz Republic cooking demonstration at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival 2011.
Peace Corps facilitates Filipino cooking demonstration at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.
Tongan artisans demonstrate their craft at the Peace Corps Village at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.
Peace Corps facilitates Malain cooking demonstration at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.
Peruvian artisans demonstrate their craft at the Peace Corps Village at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.
"The Folklife Festival is a historic opportunity to share the mission of Peace Corps: to promote world peace and friendship," said Peace Corps Director Aaron S. Williams. "By bringing together Peace Corps volunteers and citizens from the communities we serve, we are able to promote a greater understanding of people and cultures from around the world. The festival is an extraordinary opportunity for volunteers and community members to showcase their talents and innovative ideas to the thousands of Americans who attend the festival."
Links to Related Topics (Tags):
Headlines: June, 2011; 50th Anniversary of the Peace Corps; Photography; The Third Goal; Peace Corps Headquarters; District of Columbia
When this story was posted in July 2011, this was on the front page of PCOL:
Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
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Congress held hearings on the sexual assault of Peace Corps volunteers. Read the testimony of RPCVs on how the problem is still ongoing, and not limited to any particular country or region. Director Williams says that "it has become apparent to me that the Peace Corps has not always been sufficiently responsive or sensitive to victims of crime and their families. I sincerely regret that." Read what the Peace Corps is doing to address the issue. Latest: Background on sexual assault of PCVs.
Peace Corps: The Next Fifty Years
As we move into the Peace Corps' second fifty years, what single improvement would most benefit the mission of the Peace Corps? Read our op-ed about the creation of a private charitable non-profit corporation, independent of the US government, whose focus would be to provide support and funding for third goal activities. Returned Volunteers need President Obama to support the enabling legislation, already written and vetted, to create the Peace Corps Foundation. RPCVs will do the rest.
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PCV Murder Investigated
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Join Us Mr. President!
"We will double the size of the Peace Corps by its 50th anniversary in 2011. And we'll reach out to other nations to engage their young people in similar programs, so that we work side by side to take on the common challenges that confront all humanity," said Barack Obama during his campaign. Returned Volunteers rally and and march to the White House to support a bold new Peace Corps for a new age. Latest: Senator Dodd introduces Peace Corps Improvement and Expansion Act of 2009 .
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