Peace Corps director visits Ukraine (08/24/03)

Peace Corps director visits Ukraine

U.S. Embassy

KYIV - Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez visited Ukraine on August 7-10 to meet with Peace Corps staff, Peace Corps volunteers and Ukrainian officials. He met with volunteers at their project sites to see first-hand the work they are doing.

"Through these country visits, we can check the progress and recognize the important work being done by volunteers in their host communities," stated Mr. Vasquez.

With 233 volunteers currently serving in the country, Ukraine is the largest Peace Corps post worldwide. Since 1992, Peace Corps Ukraine volunteers have worked in the areas of business development, English education and environmental protection in communities as diverse as Burshtyn, Chyhyryn, Drohobych, Yenakievo, Horlivka, Izmail, Dzhankoi, Nemyriv and Okhtyrka, among others.

Director Vasquez's trip to Ukraine followed a visit to Romania, where he met with President Ion Iliescu and secretaries of state, and participated in sessions at the annual meeting of Peace Corps country directors from Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia.

Mr. Vasquez's 22-year public service career includes service at the city, county, state and federal levels of government. He began his service as a police officer in the city of Orange, Calif., was on the board of supervisors for Orange County and was division vice-president of Southern California Edison Co. Mr. Vasquez was named six times by Hispanic Business magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential Hispanics in the United States.

During his 2002 State of the Union address, President George W. Bush called on all Americans to devote 400 hours or two years over a lifetime to volunteer service, either domestically or abroad. Since that announcement, Peace Corps has seen an increase in applications of approximately 15 percent.

The men and women who serve as Peace Corps volunteers are selected to reflect the rich diversity of the United States and represent some of the finest characteristics of the American people. Volunteers have a strong work ethic, a generosity of spirit, a commitment to service, and an approach to problems that is both optimistic and pragmatic. They speak the local language and adopt the cultures and customs of the people they serve. In the process, volunteers share and represent the culture and values of the American people, earning respect for their country among people who may never meet another American.

Since 1961 more than 170,000 volunteers have served in the Peace Corps, working in such diverse fields as education, health, HIV/AIDS awareness and education, information technology, business development, the environment and agriculture. Peace Corps volunteers must be U.S. citizens and at least 18 years of age. Peace Corps service is a two-year commitment.

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