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http://www.pub.whitehouse.gov/uri-..oma.eop.gov.us/1999/2/11/6.text.1
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
February 10, 1999
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT AMERICORPS CALL TO SERVICE EVENT
Richie Coliseum
University of Maryland
College Park, Maryland
2:34 P.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Ladies and gentlemen, when I was
listening to Stephen and Leslie and Justin and Pepe talk, I was
reminded of why I wanted to be President -- so that I could give
young people like them the chance to make America a better place.
(Applause.)
I want to thank all those who are here today who have
supported our efforts. I thank Harris Wofford for his outstanding
leadership of the Corporation of National Service. (Applause.) Deb
Jospin and John Gomperts of AmeriCorps. I thank Governor Glendening
and Lt. Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend for making Maryland
America's leading state for citizen service. They have really done
-- (applause.) I thank my good friend, Prince George's County
Executive Wayne Curry; Senator Mike Miller, my longtime friend; and
Mayor Jacobs, thank you for making us welcome. Carson Dailey, thank
you for the work MTV did on those wonderful spots, the PSAs.
I would like to thank also the mother of the Lt. Governor, my
good friend, Ethel Kennedy, for being here today. (Applause.) And I
thank Mark Gearan, our Peace Corps Director, and I'll say a little more
about the Peace Corps in a minute and its relationship to AmeriCorps.
I'd like to thank one person who is not here today, but
who was on the front lines of creating AmeriCorps, Senator Barbara
Mikulski, your United States Senator from Maryland. I thank her.
(Applause.) I want to thank the President of the University of
Maryland, on my right; and the President of the Student Government of
the University of Maryland, on my left -- (applause) -- for making me
welcome. Avery and Dr. Mote, thank you. (Applause.)
You have already heard from Dr. Mote and others that six
years ago I came here to celebrate the end of the Summer of Service,
which was our dry run for this national service program. We wanted
to work out the kinks and see whether we could make this idea go.
There were three people who are here who were instrumental on that
day; I would like to thank them: Georgia Sorensen, Marilyn Smith and
my former White House staffer, whom I miss very much, Bill Galstone.
Thank you all very much for what you have done. (Applause.)
And I thank the University of Maryland for the College
Park Scholars, the Team Maryland Athletes -- (applause) -- the
work-study students that are tutoring, and the others from the
students and faculty who demonstrate the power of citizen
service.
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Let me say to all of you, when I ran for President in
1992 I wanted to get America working again and moving again, but
I also wanted to bring America together again. It seemed to me
that we had two great problems. One is that our economy was not
functioning very well and we seemed to be getting weaker, but
also that we seemed to be letting our divisions overcome what we
have in common.
Martin Luther King once said that the old law of an eye
for an eye sooner or later leaves everyone blind. I always
believed that America's differences could be the source of our
strength if we respected and we celebrated our differences, but
we understood that, underneath it all, there was something that
bound us together that was more important.
So, as I look back on the last six years, I think we
can all take a great deal of pride in what our country has
achieved together -- economically, the longest peacetime
expansion in history; the lowest peacetime unemployment rate
since 1957, 42 years ago -- (applause) -- welfare rolls cut
nearly in half; the lowest crime rate in over a quarter-century.
I think those are great things.
But I think we can also celebrate the evidence that we
are coming together -- over 90 percent of our children across all
racial and ethnic lines immunized against serious childhood
diseases for the first time in history; the doors of college
literally open to all with the HOPE scholarship, the lifetime
learning tax credit, the more generous Pell grant, more
affordable student loans, more work-study slots. Those things
matter.
But maybe most of all, those of you here in Americorps,
and those in citizen service -- whether in the Peace Corps,
serving our country in the military, or serving in some other way
-- embody the determination of America to draw closer together as
we grow more diverse. And that, I think, is terribly important.
When you saw the four Americorps volunteers up here
speaking, and each of you identifying with them in turn -- if
they worked in your project or you knew them -- you know they
were a picture of America, of the changing face of America, and
the best of America that never changes.
If you look around the world today, at many of the
challenges that I face as your President and that the United
States faces -- the sad trip that the First Lady and I recently
took to Jordan for the funeral of our friend, the King of Jordan,
who survived decades of assassination attempts -- literally
decades of assassination attempts, probably 50 in all -- to stand
as a symbol of peace among people in a very tough neighborhood,
who use religion as a reason to find their differences more
important than their common humanity. All over the world today
you see that. If the United States wants to lead the world
toward peace and freedom and prosperity in a new century in a new
millennium, it is actually quite an advantage for us to have
within our borders people from all races, all religions, all
ethnic groups, all cultural backgrounds doing all kinds of
different things.
But we cannot do good around the world unless we are
good at home. And, therefore, we have to find this magical
balance, being honest about our differences of opinion on matters
from the serious to the mundane -- and I'll leave it to you to
decide whether it was serious or mundane when the President asked
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me take sides in the basketball game. (Laughter.) You've got a
great team here, though, I'll tell you that, I've watched it.
(Applause.) We have to find a way to do that, to say, this is
what I believe, this is where I stand, this is what I'm for --
and also to say how lucky we are to stand on the verge of a new
millennium in a totally global society, where people are being
brought closer together than ever before, and we are finding ways
to relish, to celebrate, to honor our differences in a way to
bring us closer together, instead of driving us apart.
AmeriCorps is the living, breathing symbol of the
answer to that. Where we do not ask people to check their
differences at the door, but we do ask them to reaffirm our
common humanity. We do not ask for a handout, but we do ask for
a hand up for everyone who needs it, and we say we are going
forward together. That is what you represent. That is my
fondest hope for America. And I thank you for your service.
(Applause.)
You know, all during the 20th century, the tradition of
citizen service grew stronger in America. In the great
Depression I remember my parents telling me about the chance
President Roosevelt gave able-bodied, unemployed people to work
in the Civilian Conservation Corps -- the CCC. They cleared
trails, they fought fires, they planted trees. They built whole
state parks -- the Appalachian Trail, Skyline Drive in Virginia;
parks in my home state that Hillary and I have stayed in, with
rather interesting names like Petit Jean, and Devil's Den. I
have in the back office of the White House an old CCC cap -- a
cap that one of the volunteers wore in the '30s, that I found
wedged in between a chimney and a wall, in a cabin in a state
park in the mountains of north Arkansas. And I have kept it with
me all these long years, to remember the unifying power of
citizen service in one of the most difficult moments of the 20th
century for the United States.
President Kennedy in the 1960s asked young people to
serve in the Peace Corps -- to teach English, to provide health
care, to bring running water and electricity to some of the most
remote villages in Africa, Asia and South America. My
brother-in-law served in the Peace Corps in Colombia. And the
other night, he was getting together with some of the people who
served there with him. When we were getting ready to come out
here today, and Senator Wofford came in with Mark Gearan, the
present Peace Corps Director, we were celebrating the fact that,
if our new budget passes, we will have more people serving in the
Peace Corps in the next two years than have ever served in any
given year. We'll be back at an all-time high.
And we were lamenting the fact that we just had to
withdraw our Peace Corps volunteers from Eritrea and Ethiopia,
two countries that I have felt particularly close to in the last
couple of years, because of the trouble the two countries are
having -- the threat to go to war. And the Peace Corps
volunteers, going all the way back for decades, have volunteered
to try to come in and solve the conflict and deal with the
disputed area of land. I don't know if they will accept it, but
think of that. All these years later, people that were there
years and years and years ago remember what it was like -- not to
give a handout, but to give a hand up, and to ask people to
understand that their differences are not as important as what
they have in common.
So I thank our Peace Corps volunteers, I thank Mark
Gearan, and I thank all of you in AmeriCorps, because you are in
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the rich tradition of America's citizen service, from the CCC to
the Peace Corps to AmeriCorps.
Now, six summers after I first came here, AmeriCorps is
thriving. There now have been over 100,000 people serve in
AmeriCorps in just four years of the full-time program.
Everywhere I go around the country I see you -- I see you in all
kinds of different contexts. I was in San Jose right before the
election and there were a lot of -- the Peace Corps volunteers
had just come to start their mission, and so I saw them standing
on the street as I pulled into the hotel. And I asked them all
to come see me and we took a little picture -- and they were from
everywhere.
And then when I went home to Arkansas after the terrible tornadoes
a couple of weeks ago, in both the communities I visited there were
AmeriCorps volunteers there and there were people there who, believe
me, would never have come to Arkansas in their lives if they hadn't
been in AmeriCorps. (Laughter.) I know it was good for the people
they were helping and I think it was pretty good for them.
This has been an astonishing encounter for tens of
thousands of people. Now, all of you know what it's like -- I
love talking to people who have been in AmeriCorps because I
always hear two things -- number one, they' re proud of what they
did to help people -- teaching a child to read, or immunizing a
child, or having a playground that's safe in an area that used to
be dominated by gangs, or cleaning up some polluted site, or
doing something to preserve the environment. I love that.
The second thing I always hear is, "I like the people
with whom I serve; "I met people I never would have met;" "I got
to know people I never would have gotten to know;' "we were all
so different and, yet, when we worked together, we grew together,
and it made my life different and better." That is what
AmeriCorps needs to do -- and that is what America needs to do.
America needs to think of itself as sort of a giant
AmeriCorps, the Peace Corps at home, getting things done
together. Getting things done together. (Applause.) If our
budget passes this fall, we can boost the number of AmeriCorps
volunteers by one quarter, to 50,000 members. In our new budget
we want to keep expanding AmeriCorps every year so that by the
year 2003, and there forward, every year 100,000 young people
will be serving in AmeriCorps. (Applause.)
But I want to challenge the young people of this
country -- and the not so young who are willing to do it -- to
sign up for AmeriCorps, to see for yourselves what you can do to
solve America's problems and reap America's promise. I want to
cha Llenge high school students, as well. Maryland has done a
wonderful job as the Governor and the Lt. Governor said, being
the only state in the country to actually require community
service as a part of a public education. In our balanced budget
we propose to allow high schoolers for the very first time to
join AmeriCorps by serving part-time during the school year and
full-time in the summers.
And I want to challenge, again, the young people beyond
this room, to dedicate a year or two of your lives to a cause
larger than yourselves. It may be your best chance to change the
lives of others for the better, and to enrich your own life in
the process.
Today, so many young people have the time and freedom
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and energy they will never have in the future, to tackle the kind
of challenge Americorps represents -- to pack a bag at a moment's
notice, to fight a forest fire, or move into our most remote
towns or Native American reservations to teach children, or work
with churches in some of our toughest neighborhoods. At the end
of your service, as all of you know, Americorps will provide help
to pay for college or pay off student loans. So I ask you all to
help me reach others -- to take advantage of this opportunity, to
use this moment to prove that this generation of young people,
far from being a generation of cynics and slackers, is instead a
generation of doers and patriots. (Applause.)
Lt. Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend quoted something
her father said. I would like to close with a quotation from
Senator Robert Kennedy, in a speech he gave to college students
in South Africa when I was a young man. It resonated around the
world, and every person my age, which was then your age now --
every young person I knew, without regard to their party or their
opinions or anything else, was riveted by the notion that a
United States Senator could go to South Africa and talk to the
young people about building a different future, a long time
before, for the first time in over 300 years, all South Africans
had a chance to choose their future.
This is what he said: "Each time a man stands up for
an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out
against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and
crossing each other from a million different centers of energy
and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the
mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."
That is still true today. For those in AmeriCorps, I
thank you for sending forth those ripples of hope. I thank you
for bringing out the best in yourselves and others.
For those who could still yet serve, I ask you to join
the rest of your fellow citizens in building that bridge to the
21st century that all can walk across, arm-in-arm, to the best
days of America.
Thank you and God bless you. (Applause.)
END
2:54 P.M. EST
5 of 5
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SUNTUM M @ A1
01/16/99 10:36:00 AM
Record Type:
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To:
See the distribution list at the bottom of this message
CC:
Subject: 1999-1-16 radio address
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
January 16, 1999
RADIO ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT
TO THE NATION
The Oval Office
10:06 A.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. On Monday, America will
celebrate the birth of one of our greatest heroes, Dr. Martin Luther
King. This morning I'd like to talk to you about how we can honor
his legacy on that day and all throughout the year by rising to the
call of citizen service.
This morning I'm joined by Harris Wofford, the CEO of
our Corporation for National Service, a former United States senator
and, long before that, a close friend and advisor to Dr. King. Five
years ago, then Senator Wofford and Congressman John Lewis of Georgia
cosponsored a bill to encourage Americans to devote Martin Luther
King Day to serving in their communities. And I was proud to sign it
into law. We believe that this national holiday should be a day on,
not a day off, for as Dr. King once said, "Life's most persistent and
urgent question is what are you going to do for others."
On Monday, more than 100,000 Americans, including
students, soldiers, ministers, seniors, and members of the AmeriCorps
national service program will fan out all across their communities to
paint schools, clean neighborhoods, read to children. There's still
time for you to sign up. You can do so at www.AmeriCorps.org.
Now, in 1993, we created AmeriCorps to give young people
a chance to serve in their communities and, in the process, to earn
some money for college. We gave them a chance to serve not just for
a day, but all year round. And since then, 100,000 young people have
taken the AmeriCorps pledge. They've done remarkable things. Since
Dr. King's last birthday, they've rehabilitated thousands of homes,
immunized tens of thousands of children, tutored hundreds of
thousands of students, performed millions of hours of service.
Just as important, our diverse AmeriCorps members are
learning lessons that will last a lifetime. In the words of one
member, "It's unity, people working together. You don't see color.
You see people who have come together with just one purpose." For
all these reasons I will ask Congress to increase its support for
AmeriCorps this year.
There are many other ways citizens can honor Dr. King.
For one thing, you can give the gift of life by donating blood.
America's blood supplies are now critically low because severe winter
weather has hindered blood drives in several regions. I
urge every American to find out where you can donate blood by
calling 1-800-Give Life.
We can also honor Dr. King by working in our own
neighborhoods to promote racial reconciliation. Today I am proud
to release a report growing out of our Presidential Initiative on
Race. It's called, Pathways To One America in the 21st Century,
and it's a guide to some of our communities' best ways of
building that illusive one America -- one neighborhood, one
school system, one workplace at a time.
For example, thanks to a creative initiative in Greater
Philadelphia, students from different parts of town have formed
teams to design and then conduct projects such as food drives or
after-school programs for younger kids. In the beginning,
suburban students and city students tended to stick to
themselves. By gradually the students discovered the things they
had in common, and by the end, the barriers had broken down. It
has been a stunning success.
To learn more about this promising practice, and more
than 100 others, please visit the White House website. We want
every community in America to get involved in projects such as
these.
Until all children of all backgrounds have the chance
to live up to their God-given potential, free from want, in a
world at peace, Dr. King's work, and our work, will not be
complete. To honor what would have been Dr. King's 70th
birthday, I urge all Americans to rise to the highest calling in
our land -- the calling of active citizenship. For if we work
together as true neighbors, we can realize Dr. King's most
enduring dream.
Thanks for listening.
END
10:11 A.M. EST
Message Sent To:
Brenda M. Anders
01/16/99 09:57:42
Record Type:
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To:
See the distribution list at the bottom of this message
CC:
Subject: Fact Sheet: President Clinton Calls Americans to Service and Unity
PRESIDENT CLINTON CALLS AMERICANS TO SERVICE AND UNITY
The Oval Office, The White House
January 16, 1999
In today's radio address, President Clinton called on Americans to devote the Martin Luther King, Jr.
Day to national service -- a day on, not a day off. He also announced that he would ask Congress to
increase support for AmeriCorps and released Pathways to One America in the 21st Century, a guide to
promising practices for bringing people of different races and backgrounds together through community
activities.
The King Day of Service. Service was at the heart of Martin Luther King Jr's philosophy and action.
Five years ago, President Clinton signed the King Holiday and Service Act, establishing the King Holiday
as a day of service reflecting Rev. King's life and teachings. On Monday, January 18, more than 100,000
Americans -- including 10,000 citizens of Philadelphia and members of our national service program,
AmeriCorps --will fan out across their communities to renovate schools, clean neighborhoods and read to
children. In Atlanta, the members of the King family will join Hands on Atlanta AmeriCorps members in
refurbishing a house in the King Historic District to serve as an after-school education center. In
Washington DC, Vice President Gore, along with other Cabinet members and community volunteers, will
participate in service projects. The King Day of Service is a special initiative sponsored by the
Corporation for National Service in partnership with the King Center, Points of Light Foundation, First
Book and Do Something.
AmeriCorps. In his radio address, the President called on Congress to increase support for
AmeriCorps. When he came into office, President Clinton outlined a vision for a national
service program which would allow young people to serve our nation while earning funds for
college. The result of that vision is AmeriCorps, which brings people of different racial, ethnic,
and economic backgrounds together to solve community problems and improve the lives of other
Americans. Since 1994, more than 100,000 Americans have served their country and community through
AmeriCorps. Serving in more than 4,000 communities, AmeriCorps members have taught, tutored or
mentored more than 2.6 million children, operated after-school programs for more than 500,000 at-risk
youth, recruited or organized more than 1.7 million volunteers, and operated more than 40,000
neighborhood safety patrols.
Pathways to One America in the 21st Century. Noting that service is an activity that unites people
of all ages, racial and ethnic backgrounds in a common mission, President Clinton announced the
release of Pathways to One America in the 21st Century - Promising Practices for Racial
Reconciliation. This report highlights 123 programs around the country with effective
strategies to improve race relations. A wide range of programs- from tutoring and mentoring to
economic development projects - illustrate what people from private citizens to large
corporations, can and are doing to find common ground and bridge racial divides. This
important contribution to the President's Initiative on Race demonstrates the commitment of
many Americans to fulfilling President Clinton's vision of One America in the 21st century.
###
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Douglas B. Sosnik/WHO/EOP
Maria E. Soto/WHO/EOP
Chandler G. Spaulding/WHO/EOP
Elisabeth Steele/WHO/EOP
Aviva Steinberg/WHO/EOP
Todd Stern/WHO/EOP
Dana C. Strand/WHO/EOP
Michael J. Sullivan/WHO/EOP
Sarah E. Gegenheimer/WHO/EOP
Jonathan H. Schnur/OPD/EOP
Tracy F. Sisser/WHO/EOP
Sylvia M. Mathews/OMB/EOP
Jordan Tamagni/WHO/EOP
Barry J. Toiv/WHO/EOP
Serena C. Torrey/WHO/EOP
Karen Tramontano/WHO/EOP
June G. Turner/WHO/EOP
Thomas M. Rosshirt @ ovp @ eop
Thurgood Marshall Jr/WHO/EOP
Victoria L. Valentine/WHO/EOP
Dag Vega/WHO/EOP
Virginia Apuzzo/WHO/EOP
Michael Waldman/WHO/EOP
Angelina Walker @ ovp @ eop
Essence P. Washington/OPD/EOP
Glen M. Weiner/WHO/EOP
Robert S. Weiner/ONDCP/EOP
Peter A. Weissman/OPD/EOP
Amy Weiss/WHO/EOP
Lowell A. Weiss/WHO/EOP
Woyneab M. Wondwossen/WHO/EOP
Debra S. Wood/WHO/EOP
William H. White Jr./WHO/EOP
SUNTUM M @ A1 @ CD @ LNGTWY
meglynn @ usia.gov @ INET @ LNGTWY
backup @ wilson.ai.mit.edu @ INET @ LNGTWY
wh-outbox-distr @ pub.pub.whitehouse.gov @ INET @ LNGTWY
BARTHOLOW T @ A1 @ CD @ LNGTWY
BUDIG_N @ A1 @ CD @ LNGTWY
CUTLER L @ A1 @ CD @ LNGTWY
DICKEY L @ A1 @ CD @ LNGTWY
FORDE R @ A1 @ CD @ LNGTWY
GRAY W @ A1 @ CD @ LNGTWY
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KTORPEY @ AOL.COM @ INET @ LNGTWY
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Jason H. Schechter/WHO/EOP
REMARKS BY FIRST LADY HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON
DEDICATION OF NEW PEACE CORPS BUILDING
WASHINGTON, D.C.
SEPTEMBER 15, 1998
Thank you, Mark, for that kind introduction. It's a great pleasure to join
you and so many others who have made today possible: the embodiment of the
spirit of the Peace Corps himself, Sarge Shriver, and members of his family;
returned Peace Corps volunteer and now Secretary of HHS, Donna Shalala; our
friends and supporters in Congress -- some of whom are also returned volunteers;
members of the diplomatic corps; returned, current, and future members of the
Peace Corps; and friends. I want to thank Mark Gearan again for his tireless efforts
to make this day a reality -- but also for his astonishing record of accomplishment.
With President Clinton's strong leadership and support, Mark has helped open new
Peace Corps programs in South Africa, Jordan, Mozambique, and Bangladesh.
Mark has also opened people's hearts, inspiring more people than ever to contact
the Peace Corps about serving as volunteers.
It is a particular honor and personal pleasure to be here today with my friend,
Her Majesty Queen Noor Al Hussein of Jordan. As you have heard, Queen Noor
has long had a personal interest in bringing the Peace Corps to her country -- and
last year at the White House, I had the privilege of meeting the first Peace Corps
volunteers to serve in Jordan. I was so pleased to hear from Ursala today about
what she and the other volunteers are accomplishing over there.
Today, we dedicate a building that will enable our country to support the
extraordinary work of the Peace Corps into the 21st Century. Its state-of-the-art
technology will help the agency do an even better job of supporting its volunteers
overseas -- and its new visitor's center will make it possible for young people in
this country to learn more about the Peace Corps experience -- and our multi-
cultural world. Perhaps most importantly, we celebrate a building that reflects
America's most enduring values : our optimism about the future; the importance of
service; the belief that every individual can make a difference -- located in the
very heart of our nation's capitol -- where it belongs.
This new building will serve the Peace Corps well into the future. And I just
had a brief glimpse of that future -- reflected in the eager faces of the the 7th
graders I met a vew moments ago from D.C.'s Garnett Patterson middle school.
They were the first school group to tour this magnificent new building -- thanks in
large part to their teacher, Jo Bonney [BON-NAY], who was a Peace Corps
volunteer in Togo, Africa in the early 1970s, and who has already instilled her
spirit of service in her young students. I also saw that future shine in the faces of
the Peace Corps volunteers I just met -- who will leave for Malawi tomorrow.
And as I always am -- I was so impressed with their extraordinary enthusiasm and
commitment to make a difference.
As an example of how the Peace Corps is reaching out to its future leaders,
these young 7th graders will be corresponding with the Peace Corps volunteers in
Malawi -- as part the World Wise School program -- aimed at connecting
American students with Peace Corps volunteers around the world.
But as all of us here know so well, the Peace Corps would not have such a
promising future -- let alone a treasured past -- if it weren't for the man whose
name is enshrined in this hall: Sarge Shriver. One of my favorite stories about
Sarge was early on -- when he and the other early architects of the Peace Corps
were organizing the Agency. He was shown an organizational chart that had him at
the top -- followed by various lines that showed who reported to whom. And at the
bottom of the chart was the word "volunteer."
When he saw that chart, Sarge immediately turned it upside down -- so the
word "volunteer" was at the top. And that's where it's remained ever since. To
Sarge Shriver, the Peace Corps has always been about individual volunteers --
bringing their spirit of service to countries around the world -- and then returning
home to share what they learned with others. His unswerving commitment to that
ideal of service is one of the many reasons why President Clinton awarded him the
Medal of Freedom -- our country's highest civilian honor. Today, we honor him
again -- by naming this wonderful new room "Shriver Hall."
Over the past six years, I've had the privilege to see firsthand the tremendous
difference that our Peace Corps workers are making around the world. In South
Asia, South America, and most recently, in Africa, I've met hundreds of
volunteers who are bringing hope and progress to individual families and entire
communities. In fact, one of the things I enjoy most about my international travels
is meeting the Peace Corps volunteers -- you know, those shy, quiet retiring types
who just stand there and don't make any noise. You can spot them immediately.
Last year, Chelsea and I met an exceptional volunteer in Tanzania. Trevor
Murphy led a class of young girls on a successful climb up Mount Kilimanjaro -- a
feat -- as some of you may know -- that requires enormous amounts of preparation,
discipline and courage -- and one that few girls in Tanzania every dream of
accomplishing. And that trip captures for me what the Peace Corps does so well:
giving people from all walks of life the skills and opportunities and encouragement
to reach the top of the mountain on their own.
More people deserve to get that opportunity to change people's lives -- and
their own. Today, we are here not only to dedicate a new building -- but to launch
a new national recruitment drive -- aimed at meeting the goal of 10,000 volunteers
serving by the year 2000. I want to commend your new recruitment film that we
just saw -- which sends out such a powerful message for why we should be
engaged in improving the world around us. I only hope that message will be heard
in the Halls of Congress, so that they understand how important it is to support
President Clinton's request to strengthen the Peace Corps in the years ahead.
I love the new recruitment theme "How Far Are you Willing to go to Make a
Difference?" It reminds me of a young volunteer I met in Kathmandu, Nepal, who
told me that to catch the bus that brought her to meet with me, she had walked ten
hours from the remote village where she lived in a house without running water or
electricity. She described her work at school where nearly all the students were
boys -- since most girls were still denied schooling, and were often married by the
age of twelve or thirteen.
How far was she -- and so many others -- willing to go to make a difference?
Very far indeed. Sometimes it seems that the farther these Peace Corps volunteers
travel -- whether that's measured in miles down a dirt road or in distance from
their personal comfort zone -- the closer they get to what matters in life. And
what matters in life is helping others realize their own power and live up to their
own abilities. While every experience is different, each volunteer I've ever talked
to agrees: I learned more than I taught; I received more than I gave. And in the
process, these volunteers not only contributed to the development of a family, a
village; a country -- but to a deeper understanding between Americans and the
people of other countries.
The President and I believe that the work that the Peace Corps is carrying out
today -- in 80 countries around the world -- has never -- ever -- been more
important. We know the forces of globalization can help bring nations together --
or widen the fault lines that keep us apart. What better time to rekindle the spirit
of democracy and promote justice in the farthest corners of the globe? What better
time to strengthen our common purpose here at home? What better time, in other
words, to support and expand the Peace Corps? Deep appreciation to all of you
who have gone so far to make a difference. Now, let's recommit ourselves to
ensuring this legacy lives on -- even brighter and stronger -- in the 21 st Century.
SEP-09-98 22:23 FROM : PEACE CORP
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PAGE 1/5
PHACE CORPS
CORPO
*
PEACE CORPS
To: Lanns Scatillan
From: Mike Chapman
4 pages Follow
Please Believe ASAP ?
1111 20TH STREET, NW WASHINGTON. D.C.20526
ID:2026063110
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SEP-09-98 22:23 FROM: PEACE CORP
PEACE CODES
PEACE CORPS
Memorandum
To:
Laura Schiller
Office of the First Lady
From:
Mike Chapman
MC
Director of Communications
Subject:
Mrs. Clinton's Remarks for the Peace Corps Event
Date:
September 9, 1998
What follows are some suggested points for Mrs. Clinton to make during her
remarks for the Peace Corps event on September 15. With respect to general
language about the Peace Corps, I don't have much to add to what she said in
Paraguay or what was provided for her remarks in Chile. Below are some points
that might be of particular use for next week. On Thursday, I will send you our new
recruitment catalogue, which contains some pretty good language that you might
find useful. The new 15-minute recruitment film will be delivered to your office on
Friday. Please feel free to contact me if you need anything else.
Points about Shriver
Shriver earned his place in the history of the Peace Corps for a simple but
powerful reason: for him, the Peace Corps has always been about the individual
volunteer; the women and men who have been willing to bring their spirit of
service to a great cause; the volunteers who have offered their skills and talents
to people in other countries; and the volunteers who have returned home and
shared their experience with our fellow citizens.
When Sarge and the other early architects of the Peace Corps were organizing the
agency, his staff assembled an organization chart that had him at the top
followed by some various lines that showed who reported to whom. And at the
bottom of the chart was the word "volunteer." When he saw the it, Sarge
immediately turned the chart upside down so that the word "volunteer" would
appear at the top. From that point on, it was clear who mattered most in the
Peace Corps.
1111 20TH STREET, NW WASHINGTON, D. C.20526
SEP-09-98 22:23 FROM: PEACE CORP
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Sargent Shriver took President Kennedy's vision and turned a bold experiment
in public service into a reality. The Peace Corps has since its earliest days been a
place where values are more important than prestige and promotion.
Sargent Shriver is a model for every American who believes in the value of
public service. He is a patriot who believes in this country and all that we stand
for. And his stewardship of the Peace Corps is just one of the many reasons why
President Clinton awarded him the Medal of Freedom, our country's highest
civilian honor.
Thirty-five years ago, Sargent Shriver told an audience that "Guns won't change
the world. Dollar bills won't change the world. Nor will simple goodwill, or
even international organizations. What can change the world today is the same
thing that has changed it in the past-an idea and the service of dedicated,
committed individuals to that idea. The Peace Corps," he said, "is a group of
men and women dedicated to an idea."
What Sarge said then, both about our world and about the Peace Corps, still
holds true today.
And today, we honor him and his legacy at the Peace Corps by naming this
wonderful new room "Shriver Hall."
Top Three Visits with Peace Corps Volunteers
Paraguay - In October 1995, soon after Mark Gearan became Director of the Peace
Corps, he and Mrs. Clinton visited with volunteers who worked on projects in
youth development and maternal/child heath care. She then walked over to a
big auditorium and spoke to more than 200 volunteers who had come from all
over Paraguay to see her.
Kyrgyz Republic - In November 1997, Mrs. Clinton visited some volunteers in
the Kyrgyz Republic. One volunteer was working in an orphanage and saw that
the children needed warm clothing to get through the brutal winter in that
country. The volunteer, Katie Joley, and her mother in Fort Wayne, Indiana,
organized a collection of winter clothing from seven states (thousands of coats,
boots, shoes, and mittens) for the kids. Mrs. Joley contacted the White House
when she learned of Mrs. Clinton's trip and asked if the First Lady would deliver
some of the clothing to the orphanage. Mrs. Clinton agreed and took a small
amount of the clothing to the volunteer and the kids at the orphanage.
Ghana - In March 1998, the President and Mrs. Clinton went to the very first
Peace Corps country, Ghana. There they met a volunteer, Felicia Burzell, of
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Greensboro, NC, who worked with a group Ghanaian women in a basket
weaving cooperative. Felicia brought the women together to help find new
markets for their extraordinarily beautiful baskets and expand their income.
Today, the women's coop is exporting baskets around the world, including The
Body Shop here in the United States.
The Peace Corps Building
For "big picture" suggestions, see page 2 of Mark Gearan's letter to Mrs. Clinton.
Be sure to weave in President Clinton's 10,000 volunteers by the year 2000
initiative.
This is the first time since the 1960s that the Peace Corps has a building of its
own, one that it can call a real home. Congratulations to Mark Gearan for his
leadership in making this day a reality. Since coming here, he has brought great
energy, ideas, and dedication to what many people in town think is the best job
in Washington.
His record speaks for itself. He has opened new Peace Corps programs in South
Africa, Jordan, Mozambique, and Bangladesh. He has established the Crisis
Corps. Under his leadership, more people are contacting the Peace Corps about
serving as volunteers. These are just a few of his accomplishments.
And today, we are here because Mark and many members of the Peace Corps staff
have put their hearts into making this building the Peace Corps' new home for
the 21st century. But like Sargent Shriver, I know that Mark believes what
matters most at the Peace Corps are the 6,500 volunteers serving in 80 countries
today. So in many respects, the Peace Corps Building is about those volunteers,
who represent the future of this organization.
The Peace Corps' New Recruitment Campaign
Today, we are also launching the Peace Corps' campaign to recruit volunteers
who will be serving overseas when the next century arrives. I am delighted to be
a part of this event-with an outstanding new web site, a wonderful new
recruitment film, and a beautiful new catalogue, you have captured the true
essence of the Peace Corps experience.
And I can't think of a better theme than the one you have chosen: "How far are
you willing to go to make a difference?" This is a challenge that I know will
resonate in the hearts and minds of many people of every age and background in
our country who believe in the power of citizen service; who want to experience
the adventure of living and working in another culture; and who know that
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SEP-09-98 22:24 FROM: PEACE CORP
they have much to gain, both personally and professionally, by serving in the
Peace Corps.
Close with points about volunteers who will be lucky enough to be serving as
Peace Corps Volunteers in Jordan, Malawi (she will have just met 15 of them),
Bolivia, Papua New Guinea, and dozens of other countries when the dawn of
the new century arrives.
4
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
October 19, 1996
Your Majesty:
Today marks an historic step in the development of closer
relations between the people of the United States and the people
of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. I am very pleased that our
governments will sign an agreement that will make it possible for
Peace Corps volunteers to serve in your country.
The Peace Corps is one of our country's most important and
successful institutions because it shares with the world
America's most precious resource: our people. Since President
John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, tens of
thousands of Americans have served as Peace Corps volunteers in
131 countries around the globe. I am proud of the contributions
that Peace Corps volunteers have made to help change and improve
the human condition. Most importantly, however, Peace Corps
volunteers have strengthened the ties of friendship and mutual
understanding between Americans and people of other countries.
By living and working as partners with the citizens of your
country, Peace Corps volunteers will learn from Jordanians as
much as they will teach. As we move forward together, I am
confident that our countries will be enriched by this experience.
Hillary and I send our best wishes to you and Her Majesty, Queen
Noor, on this happy occasion.
Sincerely,
Biu Crinton
His Majesty
Hussein I
King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Amman
FIRST LADY HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON
RECEPTION FOR JORDAN PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS
APRIL 28, 1997
Talking Points
[Acknowledgments: Donna Shalala, Mark Gearan, Michelle Lefebvre [Luh-Fay], peace corps
volunteer]
This is a great day for the people of the United States and the people of the Hashemite
Kingdom of Jordan. The President and I want to congratulate Peace Corps Director Mark
Gearan and these 29 extraordinary Americans who are about to become the first Peace
Corps volunteers to serve in Jordan.
I also want to thank especially Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan who has long had a
personal interest in bringing the Peace Corps to her country.
As Mark said a few minutes ago, I have had the privilege to see firsthand the tremendous
difference that our Peace Corps workers are making around the world. In South Asia,
South America, and most recently, in Africa, I met hundreds of volunteers who are
bringing hope and progress to individual families and entire villages.
Just last month, Chelsea and I met an exceptional volunteer in Tanzania. Trevor Murphy
led a class of young girls on a successful climb up Mount Kilimanjaro -- a feat that
required enormous amounts of preparation, discipline and courage and one that few girls
in Tanzania ever dream of accomplishing. I understand there is another Trevor Murphy
here today who is on his way to Jordan and I hope you reach similar heights in your
assignment. [Note: one of the new Jordan volunteers is also named Trevor Murphy].
I am particularly delighted that many of you will be working on projects to improve the
lives of Jordanian women. Through its Women in Development programs, Peace Corps
Volunteers have helped women reach their fullest potential. They have helped expand
educational and economic opportunities for women, and in the process, strengthened the
role that women play in the development of their countries and in their communities.
And I am confident that you will be equally successful in Jordan.
As part of our celebration today, and to recognize the important difference that Peace
Corps volunteers everywhere make in the lives of women, I am very pleased to announce
that the Peace Corps will establish the "Loret Miller Ruppe [Lor RETT ROO- pee] Fund
for the Advancement of Women."
The fund is named in honor of the Peace Corps' longest-serving director, and a woman
who embodied the highest ideals and aspirations of the Peace Corps. From 1981 until
1989, Loret Miller Ruppe was a passionate advocate for our volunteers and an articulate
spokeswoman for the cause of international peace.
Although she passed away this year, Loret's spirit remains with us. The fund, established
through the Peace Corps partnership program by a gift from Loret's estate, will provide
small grants to support community-based projects that are designed to strengthen the role
of women in the development of their countries.
The Loret Miller Ruppe Fund for the Advancement of Women is wonderful way to carry
on her legacy. I am delighted that Loret's husband Phil Ruppe and Mark Gearan were
able to collaborate on this important effort. I'd also like to recognize two of Loret's
daughters: Loret, who served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nepal; and Mary, here with
us today.
Finally, as we send these volunteers on their exciting journey to Jordan, let's remember
that the Peace Corps experience is a two-way street. While I know that you will make a
difference in Jordan, you will also benefit from your service.
You will learn Arabic, explore Jordan's history and enjoy the hospitality of the Jordanian
people. Perhaps most importantly, you will establish new bonds of friendship and
understanding with the people of Jordan. These personal ties are very important, because
they are the foundation of peace among nations.
This is the true genius of the Peace Corps.
All Americans can take great pride in your decision to join the Peace Corps and serve our
country. So on behalf of the President, I congratulate you on being selected to serve in
Jordan. We wish you every success on your journey.
###
Office of First Lady Scheduling
Scheduling Request
Organization:
The Peace Corps
Requesting:
Speaker
Meet/Greet
Video
Letter (Greeting)
Other:
open new Peace Corps building
Event:
Date of Event: Mid-September Location:
Contact: Mark Gearan
Recommended By:
Delivery and Notes
1 Deliver To: Wendy
2 Deliver To: Palti
642-2100 9/15 nam at
Filleptember
From:
Date:
From:
Date:
3 Deliver To:
4 Deliver To:
From:
Date:
From:
Date:
Status:
Regret
Pending
Accept
Letter (Greeting)
Video
SCHEDULE PROPOSAL
Accept
Regret
Pending
TO:
Patti Solis-Doyle
Director of Scheduling for the First Lady
FROM:
Mark Gearan
Peace Corps Director
REQUEST:
To officially open the new Peace Corps Building, which
would include dedicating Shriver Hall, named in honor
of the first Peace Corps Director R. Sargent Shriver, and to
launch both the new Peace Corps web site and the new
recruitment film.
PURPOSE:
Highlight the opening and dedication of the new Peace
Corps Building, honor Sargent Shriver and the Kennedy
legacy, garner national exposure for Peace Corps' fall
recruitment campaign, and reinforce the President's call
to expand the Peace Corps to 10,000 Volunteers by the year
2000.
BACKGROUND: The new Peace Corps Building, located at 1111 20th Street,
NW, is a self-contained 8-story structure that will give the
Peace Corps store-front visibility. The building will have
a large Peace Corps logo on its front, blue awnings, and 10
street level windows with professional displays. It will
also contain Shriver Hall, where visiting or local school
groups can come to learn about culture, geography, and
the Peace Corps. Inside Shriver Hall will be Peace Corps'
History Hall, which will bring visitors through 37 years of
Peace Corps service.
To kick-off the fall recruitment season, the Peace Corps
has completely redesigned its web page and produced the
first recruitment film in five years. To gather national
exposure, we would link our 11 regional offices across the
country to this event, as well as Peace Corps Volunteers
around the world.
PREVIOUS
PARTICIPATION: Send-off of the first Peace Corps Volunteers to go to
Jordan at the Old Executive Office Building on April 30,
1997.
Visited with Peace Corps Volunteers in 13 countries.
DATE AND
TIME:
Mid-September.
PARTICIPANTS: Members of the President's Cabinet and White House
Staff, Members of Congress, members of the diplomatic
corps, members of the Kennedy and Shriver families,
local dignitaries, local students, Peace Corps employees,
former Peace Corps volunteers, and other friends of Peace
Corps.
OUTLINE OF
EVENTS:
To be determined.
REMARKS
REQUIRED:
To be prepared by Peace Corps and Speechwriting.
MEDIA
COVERAGE:
Open Press
Noa A. Meyer
09/10/98/07:38:37
©
PM
0
Record Type:
Record
To:
Laura E. Schiller/WHO/EOP
cc:
Subject: peace corps
Tanzania
Chelsea and I met an exceptional volunteer in Tanzania. Trevor Murphy led a class of young girls
on a successful climb up Mount Kilimanjaro -- a feat that required enormous amounts of
preparation, discipline and courage and one that few girls in Tanzania ever dream of accomplishing.
Nepal
I met a young peace corps volunteer in Kathmandu, Nepal who told me that to catch the bus that
brought her to meet with me, she had walked ten hours from the remote village where she lived in
a house without running water or electricity. She described the work she did at a school where
nearly all the students were boys, since most girls were still denied schooling and were often
married by the age of twelve or thirteen.
The volunteer loved her experience in Nepal but missed her family and all the blessings of daily life
that she had taken for granted in America. She longed for safe drinking water that poured from
faucets; meats and vegetables that she could eat without worrying they would make her sick;
enough food to eat all year round; free public schools that taught both boys and girls; warm baths
and electricity available around the clock; paved roads, and cars to drive on them.
Laura E. Schiller
09/11/98 06:48:25 PM
Record Type:
Record
To:
Christine N. Macy/WHO/EOP
CC:
Subject:
Draft Remarks by Secretary Shalala
Dedication of Shriver Hall -- Peace Corps HQ
September 15, 1998
Mrs. Clinton, Your Majesty, Queen Noor, Sargent Shriver, Mark Gearan,
Ursula Hawe -- and all the friends and former members of the Peace Corps
here today.
It's exciting to be here.
As I always say, you can take a woman out of the Peace Corps -- but you can
never take the Peace Corps out of the woman.
So it's an honor to help to celebrate the Corps and dedicate your new home.
This building will house -- but can hardly contain -- one of the greatest
ideas and institutions of the 20th Century.
As this day approached, I took the opportunity to watch once again the
videotape of President Kennedy's inaugural address in 1961.
You know -- it still raised a lump in my throat.
Because I could still feel the power in President Kennedy's words that
inspired my generation to public service.
Like many of you, when he said, "ask what you can do for your country," I
thought he was talking directly to me.
By creating the Peace Corps, President Kennedy gave me and my peers a new
option to do something for our country -- and the world.
As you've often heard me say, my Peace Corps service in Iran from '62 to
'64 was one of the most important experiences of my youth -- and my life.
They told us the Peace Corps would be the toughest job we ever loved.
They were right. And it's still true.
It changed -- and shaped -- the way I view myself and the world.
It made me a better citizen of our country.
It made me a citizen of the world.
But as men and women dedicated to the Peace Corps ideals, our challenge is
to extend our legacy of service, and grow a new generation of citizens of
the world.
We must pass along the torch of public service that can light the world.
We must inspire young people to ask what they can do for their country.
Let us inspire them to define their future not as slackers, or Gen X, or a
"Lost Generation" p
p but as a generation that finds itself in public service.
I am proud to serve with a President and a First Lady, and with Vice
President Gore and Mrs. Gore, who have ignited the torch of public service
in so many young people's hearts.
And I am proud to serve in an Administration that has done so much to keep
the Peace Corps that I love strong and well-led by my friend, Director
Gearan.
Together, let us help young people today to regard the Peace Corps as we
regard it:
As a way to see the world p to be the world b and to leave the world --
when we do -- a better place than we found it.
William Faulkner - for all his dark vision -- knew in his heart that
humankind would endure and prevail because we possess what he called, "a
spirit capable of compassion and sacrifice and endurance."
No words better describe the qualities of the Peace Corps volunteer -- they
embody compassion, sacrifice and endurance.
And of course, no words better describe the qualities of President
Kennedy's choice to launch and lead the original Peace Corps, Sargent
Shriver.
When Kennedy created the Peace Corps, Mr. Shriver suggested that the
President appoint someone as Director to whom he owed a political debt.
But instead, the President decided to appoint his own brother in law. As
he explained, "If it flops, it will be easier to fire a relative than a
political friend."
From that moment on, there has been no better friend to the Peace Corps
than Sargent Shriver.
We could fill this entire day -- and many days -- with stories about Sarge
and those early Peace Corps years.
The stories would be filled with energy p with vision b with humor p with
commitment b with dreams b with belief b with optimism b and with people
who cared about their country and humankind.
As one of those young volunteers, I appreciated Director Shriver's tireless
leadership and devotion to us, wherever we served.
With Director Shriver, we knew we always had an open door and an open ear
at the Oval Office.
Back then, I never dreamed that our paths would cross here today.
But I'm glad that Director Gearan set up today's program in the order that
he did, letting me speak before Sargent Shriver.
Because he's a tough act to follow.
Nobody knew this better than Jack Vaughn -- the second Peace Corps
director.
When Director Vaughn was appointed, he said, "following Sarge Shriver
around the Peace Corps was bracing. Following him as its leader is a bit
shattering."
Well, let me add that following Sargent Shriver as a speaker today would be
like following Mark McGwire at bat.
So I am happy to introduce to you the first Director -- and my Director --
of the Peace Corps, Sargent Shriver.
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PEACE CORPS FAX
The Press Office
TO:
LaunA Scitilen
FAX#:
FROM:
Brenden Daly
Press Director
Mile Chapman
TELEPHONE:
(202)-692-2236 692-2212
FAX#:
(202) 692-2231
E-MAIL:
bebaly Opeacecorps gov
Comments:
Number of Pages (including cover sheet)
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THE DIRECTOR OF THE PEACE CORPS
WASHINGTON, D.C.
September 9, 1998
Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton
First Lady of the United States
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mrs. Clinton:
On behalf of the Peace Corps, I wish to thank you for accepting my invitation to be
our guest honor at the dedication of the new Peace Corps Building on September 15.
I am both honored and delighted that you will be with us on this special occasion.
We expect Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala, several
members of Congress and the diplomatic community, members of the Shriver
family, and other friends of the Peace Corps to join us. In addition, Her Majesty
Queen Noor Al-Hussein has agreed take part in our celebration. The Queen is a
strong supporter of the Peace Corps and our Volunteers serving in Jordan, and
recently stated in a television interview that she had always wanted to join the
Peace Corps.
This event has several purposes: to dedicate the new Peace Corps Building and
Shriver Hall, a multi-purpose room in the building named in honor of Sargent
Shriver that will serve as a visitor's center and conference hall; to launch our fall
recruitment campaign for Volunteers who will be serving overseas when the next
millennium arrives; to launch the Peace Corps' new web site and new recruitment
film. The theme of this recruitment campaign is: "How far are you willing to go to
make a difference?" I have enclosed a copy of our new recruitment catalogue as
well as a copy of the new film.
In the afternoon on Tuesday, we will host a panel discussion on volunteerism in
the twenty-first century and a reception for Peace Corps staff, returned Volunteers,
and other friends of the Peace Corps. In addition, our eleven regional offices will be
hosting recruiting events across the country that will tie into ours in Washington.
After formally dedicating Shriver Hall and meeting briefly with a group of 15
Volunteers who will be departing for Malawi the next day, you are scheduled to
speak for 10 minutes. Given that you have visited so many Peace Corps Volunteers
during your travels overseas, I believe that our audience would enjoy hearing your
reflections on the contributions that our Volunteers make to international
development and greater understanding between Americans and the people of
other countries. Your comments could be very easily tied to the reasons why
Congress should support the President's initiative to have 10,000 Volunteers
serving overseas by the year 2000.
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Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton
September 9, 1998
Page 2
But I also think that our audience would welcome the opportunity to hear from you
about the institutional importance of the Peace Corps as reflected in our new
building. Even as we dedicate Shriver Hall in honor of one of the Peace Corps'
architects, this building will be the foundation of the agency's future. The new
building will be equipped with twenty-first century technology and give the Peace
Corps a signature presence in the nation's capital; it will allow us to support our
Volunteers overseas more effectively; and it will make it possible for young people
to learn more about the Peace Corps experience and our multi-cultural world. Most
importantly, the new building will also serve as a reminder to all Americans who
come to Washington that the Peace Corps remains an energetic agency that reflects
many of our country's most enduring ideals: the importance of citizen service,
optimism about the future, and the belief that individuals can make a difference in
the lives of other people here at home and around the world.
I hope you find these suggestions useful and have attached a draft itinerary for our
event. Your support for the Peace Corps has meant a great deal to the 6,500
Volunteers serving today in 80 countries, to thousands of returned Volunteers
across the United States, and to me personally. I thank you again for joining us for
this very special occasion and look forward to seeing you on September 15.
Mach
Mark D. Gearan
Director
I look forward to SEEiNO
you Tuesday.
Many thanks.
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PEACE CORPE CORPE
x
PEACE CORPS
To:
Laura Schiller
From:
Mike Chapman me
Thanks for talking with me about Mrs. Clinton's remarks for next Tuesday's
event. Attached is a transcript of a speech that she delivered at a Peace Corps
event in Paraguay in 1995 soon after Gearan became Director, as well as some
draft points that were prepared for her use in Chile. And in case you have
nothing else to do (sic), you may want to scan the remarks that Gearan gave at
the Center for National Policy to learn more about the 10,000 by 2000
initiative and the point (at the conclusion) about volunteers serving overseas
when the next century arrives.
I'll speak with you on Wednesday.
1111 20TH STREET, NW WASHINGTON, D.C.20526
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Transcript of
Remarks by Hillary Rodham Clinton
First Lady of the United States
Peace Corps/Paraguay
Quinta Ykuá Sati
October 16, 1995
Thank you very much.
I am a volunteer, but not a Peace Corps Volunteer. But I share the
enthusiasm that Mark Gearan just expressed for the work that you do every
day and the way you represent the best ideals of the United States at this point
in our history.
I am pleased that we are joined today by representatives of the Government
of Paraguay, and I understand that the Minister of Health and Agriculture are
here. I want to thank them and all the officials who have joined us. I also
want to acknowledge our Ambassador and Mrs. Service, as well as to thank
Paul Kealey and the entire Peace Corps staff for extending an invitation for
me to join you today.
This is the 29th year of Peace Corps Volunteer activity in Paraguay, and a few
minutes ago I had the opportunity to meet with Volunteers and their
Counterparts from communities around the country who are working on
health related issues and youth development. In addition to hearing about
the specific work that they are undertaking, I have also been told about all the
other activities that are underway, in agriculture, the environment, in
education, and small business development, across the board, and the many
ways in which Peace Corps Volunteers are working with the citizens of
Paraguay to build bridges, to improve the lives of the people here, and to
learn lessons that we also may take home.
I am delighted that the new Peace Corps Director, my friend Mark Gearan,
could be here to meet with you directly and to be present at this meeting as
well.
When he left the White House to become the director of Peace Corps, it was
said that there was not anyone in Washington who did not like Mark Gearan.
He is a man who strives to bring people together, who tries to search for
solutions rather than merely complaining about problems, and I believe that
the president made a very wise choice for the Peace Corps when he asked
Mark to become director in this, its nearly 35th year.
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I also think it is very clever of you, Mark, to begin with countries that start
with "P" Poland, Paraguay - and I don't know what is next, but I am sure you
will find your way around the world.
This is my first trip to South America. Some of you may know I started in
Nicaragua, and Chile, Brazil and now, to Paraguay. I feel very fortunate to
have the opportunity to meet with the citizens of this part of our hemisphere
who are working so hard to build their own stable democracies, to expand
economic prosperity and to recognize the need to invest in the education and
health of their people.
Democracy, economic prosperity, and social investment are each three parts
of the necessary formula to ensure a stable future for any country. And for
nearly 35 years the Peace Corps has represented United States' commitment to
social investment.
It does not often receive the headlines that political action does, or that
economic progress does, but underneath both is the steady work done by
Peace Corps Volunteers in partnership with the citizens of the countries in
which they serve, ensuring that all the people of any country, regardless of
their income, their race, their ethnic background, or the language they speak,
will begin to have some chance to participate fuller in the life of their society.
The need for volunteers to promote social investment, and to look for
effective ways of delivering services and building communities is one that is
recognized, not only in Paraguay, but throughout the world. In our own
country, we know how important it is that volunteers work with each other
to make sure that the people in our own cities and rural areas have the
advantages they need to build their own future. So when Peace Corps
Volunteers make the decision to join and to give of themselves, they stand in
a very proud tradition of American volunteerism, going back to the
beginning of our nation and recognized by the French social observer de
Toqueville.
The effects of that volunteerism not only live on in the work that is done
here in this country and in all the countries where Peace Corps Volunteers
serve. It lives on in the spirit of all Peace Corps Volunteers and as they return
to the United States, that spirit is often, then, acted upon in our own
communities and so the potential that is unleashed by all of you is multiplied
many times over. I hope that all the Volunteers who are here today know
how grateful we in the United States are for your willingness to serve, for
your willingness not only to give but to learn, to work here in this country
with those who also are willing to give, to build a stronger Paraguay, and then
to return home, and take the lessons you have learned and apply them in the
United States.
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As we move toward a new century, the challenge for all nations and all
peoples will be to unleash the God-given potential of all of our people, to
value each human being, each boy, each girl, each man, each woman, so that
together we can be greater than we are separately and individually. The Peace
Corps has always known that. It was promised on the belief in the dignity of
every person and the capacity of all people to solve their own problems if
given the tools to do SO. We see that as more important today than ever, and
we are grateful for the willingness of all of you to take that message and make
it a reality.
Thank you for your service, and thank you for volunteering.
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Draft Remarks for
Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton
Peace Corps/Chile
Santiago, Chile
April 19, 1998
Thank you very much, name of Peace Corps Volunteer, for your kind
introduction.
I would like to begin by thanking the representatives of the
Government of Chile [check], the Council to Overcome Poverty, the
leadership and Profesionales of Servicio País, leaders from the many non-
governmental organizations, and other distinguished Chileans who have
joined us for this special occasion.
Let me also thank John McAward and the Peace Corps/Chile staff, as
well as members of the U.S. Embassy staff for their hard work in making this
event possible.
I want to pay a special tribute to the 19 Peace Corps Volunteers who are
currently serving our country and the people of Chile. The President and I
and all of your fellow citizens in the United States are so very proud of all of
you for the many contributions that you and your Chilean counterparts have
made to Chile's progress. [Ask them to stand?]
I also want to recognize the many former Peace Corps Volunteers who
served in this wonderful country since 1961. More than - former
Volunteers are in the audience today. Some of you have returned to Chile
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from the United States for this celebration. And some have spent much of
your lives in Chile since your days in the Peace Corps. We are delighted that
so many of you have traveled from cities across the United States and Chile to
be here today. [Ask them to stand?]
When Peace Corps Director Mark Gearan asked me to a participate in
an event to celebrate the partnership between the Peace Corps and the people
of Chile, I was delighted to accept his invitation. The President and I believe
that the Peace Corps is one of our country's most successful endeavors. The
Peace Corps is filled with people who embody some of our most enduring
values of service and a commitment to make the world a better place. He and
I both believe that the work that more than 6,500 Peace Corps Volunteers are
doing in 84 countries today has never been more important
That is why the President has urged the Congress to join him in a
bipartisan effort to make it possible for 10,000 Peace Corps Volunteers to be
serving overseas by the year 2000. These additional Volunteers will be able to
serve in many of the world's neediest communities. I cannot think of a better
way for our country to enter the next century than to contribute to the Peace
Corps' legacy of service in such a substantial way.
I have had the good fortune to visit with many Peace Corps Volunteers
and to see their extraordinary work during my travels around the world. I
visited with Peace Corps Volunteers during my first trip to Chile in 1995. I
have seen the difference that Volunteers have made in communities
Paraguay, Nepal, and Tanzania. I have talked with Volunteers about their
service in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and the Kyrgyz Republic.
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When I traveled to Panama, I swore in a new group of Volunteers who
would go on to work on agricultural and environmental projects. [We are
still checking on other countries in Central America.]
Last year, Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala, who
was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Iran in the 1960s, joined me at the White
House for a special event to send off the first group of Volunteers to serve in
Jordan.
And just a few weeks ago, the President and I saw the enormous
impact that Peace Corps Volunteers have had on the lives of ordinary people
who want to build a better future in the African nations of Ghana and
Uganda.
So it is a pleasure for me to be with all of you today. But the reason we
have come together is not just to reflect on what Peace Corps Volunteers and
their Chilean counterparts have accomplished together over the past three
decades. While these accomplishments have been important, we are also
here to celebrate the spirit of friendship and understanding that exists
between the people of Chile and the people of the United States, a spirit that
will endure long after the last Peace Corps Volunteer returns home later this
year.
An important example of this spirit of friendship is the collaboration
that has taken place between our Peace Corps Volunteers and the
Profesionales of Servicio País. I have heard a great deal about Servicio País
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and the important work that its Profesionales carry out in many of Chile's
poorest communities. I would like to congratulate President Frei and the
Council to Overcome Poverty for your leadership in establishing this
extraordinary organization, which now stands as an example for other
countries that want to build their own volunteer organizations.
PC Country Director John McAward will provide a few examples of Servicio
País projects.
As some of you may know, we have a similar organization in the
United States known as AmeriCorps. President Clinton established
AmeriCorps soon after he arrived in Washington because he believes that
our country, like Chile, has problems that are best solved not by government
but by people and the power of citizen service.
Like Chile, the United States has achieved impressive economic
progress. But even as we marvel at our prosperity, we must also ensure that
the vulnerable in our societies are not left behind. We must, instead, make it
possible for all of our people to have access to a basic education to learn the
skills that are necessary for today's global economy. We must ensure that all
of our people have access to basic health care. And we must look for new
ways to create and encourage opportunities for people to build a better life for
their children.
Our governments surely have a role in this process. But as Servicio
País, the Peace Corps, and so many non-governmental organizations have
proved, the most effective results often come from ordinary people who
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unite the dream of a better world with the courage, the will, and the
determination to make it happen.
The power of citizen service does not often receive the headlines that
conflict, or political action, or economic progress do. But I believe that the
need for volunteers to promote social investment and build stronger
communities is one that is recognized not only in Chile and the United
States, but in countries throughout the world. As we move toward a new
century, the challenge for all nations and all peoples will be to unleash the
God-given potential of all of our people, to value each human being, each
boy, each girl, each man, each woman, so that, together, we can be greater
than we are individually.
This is the spirit that prevails today between the people of Chile and
the people of the United States. Over the last 27 years, more than 2,200 Peace
Corps Volunteers have served in communities throughout Chile. Together,
Volunteers and their Chilean counterparts have worked to improve
education for children; you encouraged the preservation of Chile's forests and
national parks; you have helped children learn about the environment and
how to protect it; you have worked with farmers to improve their land and
crops; and you have helped local governments improve the delivery of
services to communities.
But the Peace Corps experience in Chile has served an even larger
purpose: By living and working together, Peace Corps Volunteers and their
Chilean counterparts have deepened the ties of friendship between our two
peoples. I saw one example of this partnership on Friday, when the President
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and I and President and Mrs. Frei visited Peter Wadsworth, who served as a
Peace Corps Volunteer in Chile from 1966-68. Insert more here after the visit.
I trust that our Peace Corps Volunteers have given the people of Chile
some understanding of what the people of the United States are like. But I
would like to say to the people of Chile that our Volunteers have learned so
much from you over the years. They have learned about Chile's history, its
rich culture, its proud traditions, and the warm hospitality of its people. And
they have taken this experience back to our country, where they have shared
it with their families and friends. So I think I can speak for all of our
Volunteers in expressing our sincere gratitude for allowing the Peace Corps to
be a part of Chile's history and your efforts to build a better future.
There will always be many stories to share about the Peace Corps
experience in Chile, about how this extraordinary country affected the lives
and attitudes of those who served here as Volunteers. But as the Peace Corps
prepares to leave Chile later this year with both pride and thanks, we would
do well to recall the spirit of determination of one of the first Peace Corps
Volunteers to serve here.
In June 1962, the Peace Corps was barely more than a year old when the
man who created it, President John F. Kennedy, greeted a group of interns at
the White House with a story he had heard about Tom Scanlon, who was
serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Chile.
"He works in a village about forty miles from an Indian
village which prides itself on being Communist," President
Kennedy told the interns. "This village is up a long, winding
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road which Scanlon had taken on many occasion to see the chief.
Each time, the chief avoided seeing him," the President
continued. "Finally, the chief saw Scanlon and said, 'You are not
going to talk us out of being Communists.' Scanlon said, 'I am
not trying to do that, only to talk to you about how I can help.'
The chief looked at him and replied, 'In a few weeks the snow
will come. Then you will have to park your Jeep twenty miles
from here and come through five feet of snow on foot. The
Communists are willing to do that. Are you?'
President Kennedy then told his audience that someone had seen
Scanlon recently and asked him what he was doing. Scanlon said, "I'm
waiting for the snow."
Much as changed since Tom Scanlon served as a Volunteer here in
Chile. But what hasn't changed is our shared belief in the dignity of every
person and our enduring commitment to expanding the circle of freedom
and opportunity for all of our citizens.
To the Profesionales of Servicio País, we honor you for your efforts to
help overcome poverty in your country, and we wish you every success in all
of your future endeavors.
To the people of Chile, we thank you for being such gracious hosts and
partners with our Peace Corps Volunteers.
And to the women and men of the Peace Corps, the President and I
thank you for your service to our country, and we thank you for
volunteering.
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Thank you very much.
###
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Remarks by Mark D. Gearan
Director of the Peace Corps
The Peace Corps at the New Millennium-in the National Interest
Center for National Policy
June 19, 1998
Good morning. It's a great privilege to be able to address the Center for National
Policy. I appreciate having the opportunity to speak to you today about the Peace
Corps as we approach the next century and how this program of citizen service
advances our nation's interest at home and abroad.
I want to offer a special thanks to Maureen Steinbruner and her staff here at the
Center. Maureen has done an outstanding job as President of the Center for
National Policy. She has ensured that the Center remains one of Washington's
influential organizations, shaping the debate on the important issues that confront
our country.
Now, as some of you may know, before I came to the Peace Corps, I had the honor of
serving as President Clinton's Director of Communications. And my experience at
the White House taught me that sometimes it's hard being the bearer of good news.
When you have a good, positive story to tell, you don't always find yourself
surrounded by microphones, tape recorders and journalists with Pulitzer Prizes on
their minds.
But today, I get to talk about what I never tire of talking about. And on this occasion,
the news is both good and important, both positive and newsworthy. Today, I will
be talking about the Peace Corps in the new millennium.
We hear a lot these days about the excitement and the challenges of the 21st century.
President Clinton has spoken eloquently about the promise of a more prosperous
and peaceful world, and the leadership that our country must provide in the years
ahead, both at home and abroad.
I am pleased to report to you that the Peace Corps and the men and women who
serve as Volunteers are helping to shape that future. With hard work, with
determination and cooperation, and with a spirit of service, we intend to play a vital
role in making this new, post-Cold War age more peaceful, more productive, and
more promising for Americans and our neighbors around the world.
This is where we hope the Peace Corps will be in the millennium: 10,000 Volunteers
by the year 2000.
What does 10,000 by 2000 mean?
It means 10,000 Americans will have the opportunity to serve as development
workers overseas, introducing new technology and new ways of thinking and
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contributing their skills to men, women, and children who are struggling to build a
better future.
It means that in 10,000 communities, people who otherwise likely would have no
interaction with an American will meet a hard-working partner in work that makes
a difference in their lives.
It means 10,000 Americans will be front-line representatives of the best traditions
and characteristics of our citizenry, forging personal ties to people from far different
backgrounds, building important friendships with people in far corners of the globe.
It means 10,000 Americans will learn crucial cross-cultural skills and, in most cases,
a new language or two, thus enhancing our country's collective understanding of
the world's peoples and cultures.
It also means that every American who doesn't serve in the Peace Corps will have
10,000 reasons to be proud that our country and our government has the strength
and compassion to sponsor such a successful endeavor.
When President Kennedy created the Peace Corps in 1961, I wonder how far into the
future he allowed himself to dream. I wonder if he envisioned the Peace Corps as it
is today, with 6,500 Volunteers working in 81 countries. I wonder if he envisioned
the Peace Corps sending Volunteers to such disparate places as Ukraine, South
Africa, and Jordan. I wonder if he foresaw the wide range of skills Volunteers would
offer countries around the globe, from ways to conserve natural resources in Latin
America to strategies to turn flagging industries in Eastern Europe into sound,
profitable businesses.
Perhaps he did envision some or all of this. But what matters is that over the years,
the Peace Corps has remained true to President Kennedy's vision, even as we have
strengthened the ways we carry it out. We have established Crisis Corps, a new
program that enables experienced Volunteers and recently returned Volunteers to
use their language and cross-cultural skills in short-term humanitarian and disaster
relief efforts.
Senator Paul Coverdell, who was Peace Corps Director under President Bush, set up
the World Wise Schools Program, which gives Volunteers serving overseas the
opportunity to correspond with elementary and junior high school students in the
United States, thereby providing a unique window into other countries and
cultures.
Loret Miller Ruppe, who was President Reagan's Peace Corps Director, established
the Peace Corps Fellows Program, which affords returned Volunteers the
opportunity to earn master's degrees in areas such as education and urban planning,
while working on problems at home with the skills they learned overseas.
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President Kennedy saw in 1961 that the traditional means of providing assistance to
developing countries were inadequate. He recognized the importance of
establishing clean channels of communication and greater understanding among
the peoples of the world at a time when government-to-government
communications and relations were enormously complicated by Cold War
suspicions and tension. Many of those observations hold true today.
And in our country, he saw men and women whom he trusted could provide a type
of help that was needed and represent the values and traditions of the American
people. These models of citizen service still make up the heart of the Peace Corps
program today.
But in realizing and expanding on President Kennedy's dream, we've come to
understand that the Peace Corps isn't only in the world's interest. It's in our interest
as well. In doing good for the world, Peace Corps Volunteers are doing good for
America.
Sometimes it's hard to quantify all the positive aspects of Peace Corps Volunteers
work, and similarly to assign a value to it. How much, for instance, is it worth when
a Peace Corps Volunteer in a remote part of Kenya helps a community dig a well
that, for the first time, becomes a reliable source of clean drinking water? Is it worth
fifteen dollars in material it cost? Is it worth a little more because of the labor
involved? Or is its worth priceless because of the two children's lives it saved-the
children who would have been infected with parasites if they had drawn their
drinking water from the polluted river?
And how many lives does the Peace Corps Volunteer who promotes AIDS
education and prevention in Thailand or Cameroon save? Or the Volunteer in
Guatemala or Morocco who teaches a mother how to protect her children from
diseases?
And from a larger perspective, how can we possibly quantify the lasting bonds of
friendship and understanding that tens of thousands of Peace Corps Volunteers
have established with the people of more than 130 nations over the last 37 years?
We could speculate all day on such topics. And while I don't think we'd agree on an
exact dollar figure to pin on the worth of each interaction, I have no doubt we'd
agree that they are all intrinsically valuable, each in their own way.
But for the more concrete-minded, for people who want their facts in cold numbers,
try this: A decade ago, more than five million people, mostly in Central Africa, were
infected with Guinea worm. It's a parasite that invades a person's body when he or
she drinks impure water. It lives and grows inside the body for a year before
breaking the skin. The Guinea worm is a horrible experience that can lead to severe
health complications, even death.
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Today, thanks to hard work and dedication of Peace Corps Volunteers and others,
fewer than 100,000 people. suffer from Guinea worm. From five million to 100,000 in
ten years. Those are impressive numbers, but they are just one of the many quiet
success stories that are so central to the Peace Corps experience. The same could be
said of what Volunteers do every day in education, the environment, small
business development, and agriculture.
And it's because of this kind of work that President Clinton has proposed that we
make it possible for more Americans to serve as Peace Corps Volunteers. It's time to
offer more Americans the chance to do what more than 150,000 Americans have
already done since the founding of the Peace Corps in 1961. In time for the new
millennium, we want to see 10,000 Volunteers in the field, contributing their skills,
encouraging progress, and in the process, advancing our nation's interest in
thousands of communities in dozens of countries.
Ten thousand Volunteers by the year 2000.
As President Clinton said, "We must do everything we can to revive the spirit of
citizen service in the new century. Every American ought to have the chance to
serve."
It's time to offer more Americans the opportunity to begin a career in public service
by joining the Peace Corps. This is what Senator Christopher Dodd of Connecticut
did when he served as a Volunteer in the Dominican Republic from 1966 to 1968.
It's what Representatives Sam Farr, Tony Hall, Thomas Petri, Christopher Shays,
and James Walsh did when they decided to join the Peace Corps. Each of them
supports our goal of 10,000 Volunteers by the year 2000.
Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala reminds people across the
country and around the world that she began her career in public service as a Peace
Corps Volunteer in Iran. Drew Days, professor of Law at Yale and former Solicitor
General at the Department of Justice, served as a Volunteer in Honduras. So did
seven current United States Ambassadors.
Former Volunteers have found success in the arts, like the author Paul Theroux.
They are leaders in the media, like Leon Dash, a reporter for The Washington Post,
Karen DeWitt, a producer at "Nightline," and television journalist Chris Matthews.
Former Volunteers are using the skills they learned in the Peace Corps to run some
of our country's most successful businesses. Robert Haas, the president of Levi
Strauss, and Priscilla Wrubel, founder of The Nature Company, and Mike
McCaskey, owner of the Chicago Bears, are all returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
And the list goes on. Just as importantly, it includes many ordinary citizens in every
state who are bringing their Peace Corps experience to bear as teachers in local
schools, in international development organizations, in social services and the
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environment, in state and local governments. Returned Volunteers contribute their
time, energy, and skills to their communities in countless ways.
Peace Corps Volunteers have found their callings both abroad and at home. Doing
good for the world. Doing good for America. This is why, I believe, that the idea of
expanding the Peace Corps has received bipartisan support. Senator Paul Coverdell,
Congressman Ben Gilman, Chairman of the House International Relations
Committee, and other distinguished Republicans have joined with Congressman
Lee Hamilton and many Democrats and endorsed the idea of 10,000 Volunteers by
the year 2000.
Today, we are seeing a huge resurgence of interest in Peace Corps service. Last year
alone, 150,000 people contacted us seeking information how to become a
Volunteers, an increase of 45 percent from 1994. Thousands of people want to give
two years of their lives to become part of our effort. They recognize the good Peace
Corps Volunteers do for the world. They also recognize how valuable returned
Volunteers are to the United States.
By providing more Americans with the opportunity to serve as Peace Corps
Volunteers, we can further our nation's need to build a work force that can compete
most effectively in the international economy. Peace Corps Volunteers learn more
than 100 languages; they gain extraordinary cross-cultural understanding; and they
learn to think in new and creative ways. This is just one aspect of what I call the
"domestic dividend" of Peace Corps service.
There are far more applicants to the Peace Corps than available positions. In this
light, asking for 10,000 Volunteers is far from ambitious. In truth, it's modest.
Moreover, having 10,000 Volunteers by the year 2000 is an opportunity the world
would embrace: We have more requests for more Volunteers than we can fulfill.
And if Congress funds our budget request, we believe that many of the additional
Volunteers could serve not only in the poorest countries of the developing world;
they will also be serving in the emerging republics of Central Asia and the Caucuses,
places where Americans have had little if any contact over the last forty years.
In fact, inspired by the example of the Peace Corps, countries around the globe have
created their own volunteer organizations. Next week, the Peace Corps will host the
second Conference on International Volunteerism. The leaders of volunteer
organizations in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Mali, South Africa, Chile,
and other countries will come to Washington for a week of meetings and
discussions about how our Volunteers can collaborating more effectively in the
field. We will develop plans to help other countries strengthen and establish their
own volunteer organizations.
The Peace Corps has become a model for these organizations. By setting up the
infrastructure for volunteerism in these countries, Peace Corps Volunteers are
realizing their dream of seeing their work carried on by host country nationals. If
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you give a country a Peace Corps Volunteer, you've enriched it for a long time. But
if you teach a country how to produce its own volunteers, you've enriched it for a
lifetime. I believe that, in the next century, encouraging the spirit of volunteerism
in other countries will be an integral part of the Peace Corps' legacy of service.
How important is Peace Corps to our nation and the world? Barely a week goes by
before another Ambassador comes to my office to thank the Peace Corps for the
Volunteers who are serving in his or her country.
Since I became Director of the Peace Corps, I have traveled to more than 20 countries
to visit with Volunteers and to learn from them. And on every trip, Kings,
Presidents, Prime Ministers, teachers, doctors, farmers, environmentalists, and
ordinary people have told me in very inspiring words how much they appreciate
the contributions that Peace Corps Volunteers in their countries.
We recently asked some American Ambassadors what they thought about the role
that Peace Corps Volunteers play in promoting our nation's interests. While we
remain separate and independent of the day-to-day concerns of our nation's foreign
policy, more than 40 of our own Ambassadors were emphatic in their belief that the
Peace Corps does indeed serve the world's-and our nation's-long-term interests,
and that increasing the number of Volunteers would be a positive development.
Here's what Ambassador David Shinn in Ethiopia had to say: "Most Ethiopians
have never met an American diplomat, but they've met a Peace Corps Volunteer. In
this sense, Peace Corps Volunteers are our most effective 'ambassadors.' The
message that Americans care about Ethiopians and like Ethiopians is transmitted
loudly and clearly. For many Ethiopians who will never meet other Americans, a
Peace Corps Volunteer is America."
From Ambassador Ralph Frank in Nepal: "I know first-hand what a difference the
Peace Corps has made in Nepal. And even if I did not know it, I would be reminded
by every Nepali I meet, from the King and Prime Minister to ordinary Nepalis at the
village level."
As a nation-and, more broadly, as a world of nations-we are confronting a
challenging time. The Cold War is over and we are in the process of defining a new
era. We've seen peace come to places that hadn't known the word in years, from
Central America, to Southern Africa, to Northern Ireland. As a nation we've
reached out to countries that want to better themselves through democracy and free
enterprise, and freedom. As we look around the globe, we can see a great deal to be
hopeful about; we can see hints-and more-of a world beginning to embrace peace.
But it is only a beginning. Because we are in the early stages of defining this post-
Cold War era, now is not the time for caution. Now is the time to err on the side of
more peace, of more democratization, of more engagement with people who want
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and need our help. Now is the time to reach out. Now is the time to plant the seeds
of peace and progress wherever there is fertile ground.
From time to time in our history, our country has slipped into a fascination with
isolationism. While there are a few who still yield to the isolationist temptation, the
vast majority of Americans understand the need to reach out to other nations in a
variety of ways. Peace Corps is one of those ways-and an almost universally
popular one at that. We are an organization that Americans of all political
persuasions can be proud of.
Every American can identify with Peace Corps Volunteers because Peace Corps
Volunteers are our nation. They come from our big cities and small towns; our East
Coast and our West Coast; our Great Plains and our Deep South. They are young
and old. They are just out of college and just too active to be content with ordinary
retirement.
The goal of having 10,000 Peace Volunteers in the field was actually conceived in
1985-by Congress. In that year, Congress passed a bipartisan measure that called for
the Peace Corps to field 10,000 Volunteers. Now is the time to realize that bipartisan
dream.
The Peace Corps' budget request for 1999 is $270 million, an increase of $45 million.
President Clinton's 1999 budget request is the first of a three-year plan to make it
possible for 10,000 Volunteers to be serving overseas by the year 2000.
Let me remind you that the Peace Corps accounts for only about one percent of the
entire foreign affairs budget for our government. And the foreign affairs budget is
just over one percent of the entire federal budget. If the Peace Corps receives full
funding for our plan over the next three years, our budget will still account for just
one percent of the resources our government spends overseas. This is a small price
for peace. And a small price for the good Volunteers do for the world and our
nation.
Some may say that we can't afford to send 10,000 Volunteers overseas. In an era of
unrivaled prosperity at home and enormous opportunity abroad, I say that can't
afford not to.
Achieving peace is, at heart, a matter of recognizing our commonalty, our shared
humanity. And Volunteers do recognize this. Yes, they are attracted to the
richness-the exoticness-of other lands. But for most of them, what is most
important and impressive about their experiences is discovering not what divides
them from the people with whom they live and work but what unites them. The
same is true of the people they meet overseas, who instead of thinking, "Here comes
the American," soon think, "Here comes my friend."
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Today, we are recruiting our "Millennial Volunteers," people who will be serving
in the Peace Corps when the twenty-first century arrives. These future Volunteers
carry with them our country's hopes for a more peaceful world. They are the future
of the Peace Corps, the first heralds of a time when-we hope-all Americans who
have the skill and desire will be able to serve their country as Volunteers.
When midnight approaches on December 31, 1999, these Peace Corps Volunteers
won't be watching the ball drop in Times Square. They'll have to settle for seeing a
shooting star in the sky over Tanzania or listening to the snap of firecrackers in a
mountain village in Mongolia. I wonder who has the better deal?
It has been an honor and a pleasure to speak with you today. Thank you.
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