Thinking into the future, let alone 4-plus years into the future, is not something that comes easily to many people or institutions. However the National Peace Corps Association has been doing just that.
Four years, thirty days. That's how long it is until June 23-25, 2011--the date currently penciled in for festivities on the National Mall in Washington, DC to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of Peace Corps. The anniversary date is even closer if, as expected, January 1, 2011 kicks off a year-long series of events around the country and around the world.
We believe that Peace Corps' 50th anniversary is a milestone event warranting national attention on par with recent commemorations of the Brown v. Board of Education decision and the dedication of the World War II Memorial. In an article in WorldView magazine, NPCA President Kevin Quigley writes,
"Peace Corps does not simply belong to RPCVs, but rather it touches the lives of the American and host-country staff, colleagues, family and friends. It is important for us now to find adequate and sufficient ways to honor this anniversary, so that anyone who is interested can play a role in celebrating Peace Corps' many accomplishments, and rebuilding these life-long connections among so many of us around the world."
Pulling off a fitting celebration will require vision, huge amounts of careful planning and, of course, fund raising. The tendency in our decentralized community is to think that good things like this "just happen" or exist by the sheer goodness of the intentions behind them. That kind of thinking will leave us disappointed in 2011.
So who will push to see that something in fact gets planned and executed? The first priority of Peace Corps naturally is to do what Peace Corps does day-to-day: put volunteers in the field and support them. And with the five year rule it's anyone's guess as to how many people at headquarters will be around in 2011. Congress? Our community has many friends on the Hill, but getting lawmakers' attention requires consistent energy and focus.
NPCA is getting the conversation started. We're nudging the relevant institutions to think about the 50th, and urging our community to reflect on how to mark this important occasion.
Four years, thirty days. It's closer than we think.
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