Twelve New Country Directors Sworn In to Serve: Azerbaijan – Zoltan Szigethy



Twelve New Country Directors Sworn In to Serve: Azerbaijan – Zoltan Szigethy

Twelve New Country Directors Sworn In to Serve

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 4, 2005 – Twelve new country directors took office today, after completing their month-long training at Peace Corps headquarters. Many of the newly sworn in country directors are new, some are returning to the Peace Corps, and four are being promoted from within the agency. The new country directors will be going to countries throughout the Peace Corps’ three regions: the Africa Region, the Europe, Mediterranean, and Asia Region (EMA), and the Inter-America and Pacific Region (IAP).

Peace Corps country directors are responsible for management and direction of all aspects of the Peace Corps program in their country of assignment. The country directors support volunteers in the field. They lend their skills and energy to meet development needs and to promote a better understanding between the host country people and Americans.

The new country director assignments are as follows:

Azerbaijan – Zoltan Szigethy
Before becoming country director for Azerbaijan, Zoltan Szigethy enjoyed a career that spanned the areas of public service, private enterprise, and philanthropy. Szigethy worked mainly in the Northwestern United States, helping to preserve historic buildings in Seattle, working in real estate and commercial banking, and helping to diversify the economy of an urban county in Washington state. He also worked with public administration education and local government reform throughout Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Szigethy served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malaysia (1963-1965), was an English as a Foreign Language Trainer for volunteers at the University of Hawaii, and was Associate Peace Corps Director in Malaysia (1965-1967). He received his bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Princeton University and completed two years of graduate work at the University of Washington.

When this story was posted in January 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:

RPCVs mobilize support for Countries of Service RPCV Groups mobilize to support their Countries of Service. Over 200 RPCVS have already applied to the Crisis Corps to provide Tsunami Recovery aid, RPCVs have written a letter urging President Bush and Congress to aid Democracy in Ukraine, and RPCVs are writing NBC about a recent episode of the "West Wing" and asking them to get their facts right about Turkey.

RPCVs contend for Academy Awards Bolivia RPCV Taylor Hackford's film "Ray" is up for awards in six categories including best picture, best actor and best director. "Autism Is a World" co-produced by Sierra Leone RPCV Douglas Biklen and nominated for best Documentary Short Subject, seeks to increase awareness of developmental disabilities. Colombian film "El Rey," previously in the running for the foreign-language award, includes the urban legend that PCVs teamed up with El Rey to bring cocaine to U.S. soil.

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January 29, 2005: This Week's Top Stories UPI says Suicides lower in Iraq after Lariam discontinued 28 Jan Chris Starace makes DVD about life in Benin 28 Jan Gaddi Vasquez tours Sri Lanka 27 Jan Tom Hazuka receives writer's award 27 Jan Raymond Wacks to oversee Baltimore's budget 27 Jan L. A. Adams provides online assistance to village of Cochiraya 27 Jan New blog helps prospective PCVs apply to PC 27 Jan RPCV writes open letter to "West Wing" on Turkey episode 26 Jan PC moves Guyana Volunteers from Flooding Areas 26 Jan Taylor Hackford's 'Ray' scores six Oscar nominations 26 Jan State building in Georgia may be named for Coverdell 25 Jan Nick Craw to head Automobile Competition Committee 25 Jan Peace Corps Announces Top Colleges 24 Jan RPCV Francis J. Thomas was WWII Pearl Harbor vet 24 Jan PC crafts strategy for Deborah Gardner murder case 23 Jan Senator Bill Nelson says expand PC in South America 23 Jan George Wallace is county's first poet laureate 20 Jan

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Ask Not As our country prepares for the inauguration of a President, we remember one of the greatest speeches of the 20th century and how his words inspired us. "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man."

Coleman: Peace Corps mission and expansion Senator Norm Coleman, Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee that oversees the Peace Corps, says in an op-ed, A chance to show the world America at its best: "Even as that worthy agency mobilizes a "Crisis Corps" of former Peace Corps volunteers to assist with tsunami relief, I believe an opportunity exists to rededicate ourselves to the mission of the Peace Corps and its expansion to touch more and more lives."

RPCVs active in new session of Congress In the new session of Congress that begins this week, RPCV Congressman Tom Petri has a proposal to bolster Social Security, Sam Farr supported the objection to the Electoral College count, James Walsh has asked for a waiver to continue heading a powerful Appropriations subcommittee, Chris Shays will no longer be vice chairman of the Budget Committee, and Mike Honda spoke on the floor honoring late Congressman Robert Matsui.

Latest: RPCVs and Peace Corps provide aid Peace Corps made an appeal last week to all Thailand RPCV's to consider serving again through the Crisis Corps and more than 30 RPCVs have responded so far. RPCVs: Read what an RPCV-led NGO is doing about the crisis an how one RPCV is headed for Sri Lanka to help a nation he grew to love. Question: Is Crisis Corps going to send RPCVs to India, Indonesia and nine other countries that need help?

The World's Broken Promise to our Children Former Director Carol Bellamy, now head of Unicef, says that the appalling conditions endured today by half the world's children speak to a broken promise. Too many governments are doing worse than neglecting children -- they are making deliberate, informed choices that hurt children. Read her op-ed and Unicef's report on the State of the World's Children 2005.

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