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Former Peace Corps Volunteers Back in Ethiopia to Celebrate 50TH Anniversary of Launching of Program!!
Tsehaye Debalkew, Embassy of Ethiopia Washington DC.
September 24, 2012
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| Over one hundred former Peace Corps Volunteers who served in Ethiopia in various capacities in different places of the country were given a warm send off at a get together function held last Saturday at the auditorium of the Ethiopian Embassy here in Washington DC. |
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Ambassador Girma Birru, Special Envoy and Ambassador Extra-Ordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the US, Ambassador-designate to Canada and non-resident Envoy to Mexico, who was on hand to receive members of the congregation elated in a celebratory and jubilant spirit saluted and welcomed the volunteers by congratulating them all on the 50th Anniversary of the start of the Peace Corps Program on behalf of the government of Ethiopia and on his own behalf.
Ambassador Girma in his speech reminisced that Ethiopia was one of the pioneering countries which invited Peace Corps to begin its program in1962, just one year after the Peace Corps program had taken off and recounted by saying that there are many Ethiopians who remember those programs and the Peace Corps volunteers associated with them with fond memories. |
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He emphasized that currently there are over one hundred Peace Corps volunteers working in partnership with the people and Government of Ethiopia, in line with the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) which is an important aspect of partnership between the two countries.
Citing as a remarkable achievement and ample testimonial to the contribution of the men and women who have taken part in the project during the past fifty years in Ethiopia, Ambassador Girma praised them all for educating tens of thousands of young Ethiopians by injecting the necessary skills and capacities.
He further noted that they are remembered for implanting in the youth a sense of hope, enthusiasm and a spirit of the continued need for change by spreading the culture of "Yes We Can", in the hearts and minds of generations of Ethiopian youth.
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He seized upon the auspicious occasion and extended his profound thanks for the invaluable service to "our people and our country" and that "the people of Ethiopia are truly grateful for your noble contributions" he added.
The Ambassador made a passionate call on the volunteers to support Ethiopian universities by helping create partnerships with US counterparts and support the initiative for the strengthening of Sister Cities, a project aimed at twinning cities and counties between the US and Ethiopia.
He expressed his firm belief that Peace Corps Volunteers, are best positioned to continue to help promote the cordial relationship between the peoples of Ethiopia and the U.S.A. |
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A representative of Ms. Marian Haley, President of Ethiopia and Eritrea Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, and chief organizer of the event expressed in the name of those who served in Ethiopia by saying that "'We truly love Ethiopia and its warm and friendly people".
"We are bound to the nation and its great people where and among whom we grew and experienced the real challenges of life. She made a pledge by saying, "We will always offer our support where ever it is needed."
The former Peace Corps Volunteers were joined by 40- strong members from Montgomery County, Maryland who headed to Ethiopia to establish cordial Sister City Twinning between the historic city of Gondar of Ethiopia and Montgomery County of Maryland state in the USA.
According to the news dispatch we have received from Ethiopia today the delegations of both the former Peace Corps Volunteers and Sister Cities Twinning Program were given a warm welcome by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs upon their arrival @ the Bole International airport in Addis Ababa, on Sunday yesterday. |
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