2010.04.13: Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams visits Jordan

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By Admin1 (admin) (98.188.147.225) on Monday, April 26, 2010 - 5:26 pm: Edit Post

Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams visits Jordan

Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams visits Jordan

On Monday, HRH Prince Feisal, the Regent, met with Williams at the Royal Court, where he emphasised His Majesty King Abdullah's concern with improving the educational system and achieving sustainable development, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. At the meeting, Prince Feisal voiced appreciation of Peace Corps activities in the country, especially educational and capacity-building programmes for youths. Minister of Social Development Hala Lattouf also met with Williams yesterday, and discussed joint efforts to enhance the concept of voluntary work, Petra reported. During Monday's roundtable, Williams highlighted the mutual benefits of Peace Corps programmes, noting that they promote understanding by allowing Americans to work side-by-side with Jordanians on issues important to the Jordanian government. "When the Americans go back home they become advocates and goodwill ambassadors for Jordan," Williams said, highlighting the friendships and ties volunteers build with local residents.

Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams visits Jordan

Peace Corps activities in Jordan highlighted

Caption: HRH Prince Feisal, the Regent, meets with Peace Corps Director Aaron S. Williams on Monday (Petra photo)

By Mohammad Ghazal

AMMAN - Tens of thousands of Jordanians throughout the Kingdom have benefited from Peace Corps programmes, its country director in Jordan, Alex Boston, said on Monday.

He made the remarks during a media roundtable held by Peace Corps Director Aaron S. Williams, who is in Amman to check on projects implemented by the programme's volunteers in the Kingdom.

The Washington-based Peace Corps is an independent US federal agency that seeks to promote understanding between Americans and other peoples of the world.

The Peace Corps Jordan programme was established in 1996 and since the first volunteers arrived in 1997, over 430 Americans have served in the Kingdom in the spheres of community, women and youth development, environmental management and awareness, special education, and teaching English as a foreign language, according to a US embassy statement.

On Monday, HRH Prince Feisal, the Regent, met with Williams at the Royal Court, where he emphasised His Majesty King Abdullah's concern with improving the educational system and achieving sustainable development, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

At the meeting, Prince Feisal voiced appreciation of Peace Corps activities in the country, especially educational and capacity-building programmes for youths.

Minister of Social Development Hala Lattouf also met with Williams yesterday, and discussed joint efforts to enhance the concept of voluntary work, Petra reported.

During Monday's roundtable, Williams highlighted the mutual benefits of Peace Corps programmes, noting that they promote understanding by allowing Americans to work side-by-side with Jordanians on issues important to the Jordanian government.

"When the Americans go back home they become advocates and goodwill ambassadors for Jordan," Williams said, highlighting the friendships and ties volunteers build with local residents.

According to the Peace Corps director, each volunteer serves for 27 months in Jordan, three of which are for training.

"During the pre-service period, volunteers receive training on Jordanian culture, traditions and customs," Boston said, adding that the local communities also receive information to familiarise them with the upcoming projects.

Volunteers attending yesterday's roundtable shared their experiences.

Maria, who was only identified by her first name in accordance with Peace Corps policy, said she enjoyed her experience volunteering in a village in Maan Governorate, where she teaches English as a foreign language to 6th, 7th and 8th graders.

"I am not just a teacher. The people in my village are my friends. I have very personal relations with them and that is how we can truly learn from one another," she noted.

Bryan, a special education volunteer, who served in a centre in Tafileh for two years, said he extended his stay in Jordan and is currently working with an NGO in Amman.

He said he used his experience in special education to help develop curricula and materials for the centre's teachers.

Melissa, who has been in Jordan for a year-and-a-half, said she works at the Jordan University of Science and Technology's civil society development centre, where she teaches English and Spanish and helps develop students' personal skills.

Since its establishment in 1961, nearly 200,000 Peace Corps volunteers have served in 139 countries. Today, 7,700 volunteers are serving in 76 countries, including 60 in Jordan.

The Peace Corps trains volunteers, who must be US citizens aged at least 18, in technical skills, local languages and cross-cultural understanding.




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Headlines: April, 2010; Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams; Peace Corps Jordan; Directory of Jordan RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Jordan RPCVs; Peace Corps Directors; Peace Corps Dominican Republic; Directory of Dominican Republic RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Dominican Republic RPCVs; Peace Corps Headquarters





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Memo to Incoming Director Williams Date: August 24 2009 No: 1419 Memo to Incoming Director Williams
PCOL has asked five prominent RPCVs and Staff to write a memo on the most important issues facing the Peace Corps today. Issues raised include the independence of the Peace Corps, political appointments at the agency, revitalizing the five-year rule, lowering the ET rate, empowering volunteers, removing financial barriers to service, increasing the agency's budget, reducing costs, and making the Peace Corps bureaucracy more efficient and responsive. Latest: Greetings from Director Williams

Join Us Mr. President! Date: June 26 2009 No: 1380 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 .

Meet Aaron Williams - Our Next Director Date: July 30 2009 No: 1411 Meet Aaron Williams - Our Next Director
Senator Dodd's Senate Subcommittee held confirmation hearings for Aaron Williams to become the 18th Peace Corps Director. "It's exciting to have a nominee who served in the Peace Corps and also has experience in international development and management," said Dodd as he put Williams on the fast track to be confirmed by the full Senate before the August recess. Read our exclusive coverage of the hearings and our biography of Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams.



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Story Source: The Jordan Times

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Jordan; Directors; COS - Dominican Republic; Headquarters

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