Thursday, June 03, 2010

RBM Swears In















Above: scenes from a ceremony Thursday in northern Kyrgyzstan where 67 Americans became Peace Corps volunteers. Performances included "Red Flower" by pop singer Julia Rutzkaya, remarks in three languages by volunteers, a partial recitation of the Manas epic, and a speech by the U.S. ambassador, who speaks seven languages. Afterwards, Osh-bound RBM bid farewell to his local host family and fellow English teachers.

AKIPress.com later posted the following story:
The swearing-in ceremony of the 18th group of new Peace Corps Volunteers in the Kyrgyz Republic took place at the “Alyi Parus” House of Culture in the town of Kant on June 3.

U.S. Ambassador Tatiana Gfoeller, government officials, local community members, representatives of international partner organizations, hosting families attended the ceremony.

This group of volunteers arrived in March in Kyrgyzstan and is the 18th group since inception of the program in 1993. During three months the group received intensive training in Kyrgyz, Russian languages, local culture and traditions.

After the ceremony the volunteers departed for their villages and towns, where they will live in families and work for 2 years. 41 volunteers will serve as English language teachers, 11 will work as health promoters and 15 volunteers will work in local organizations focusing on development of the country and business.

140 volunteers work in Kyrgyzstan in total. Volunteers are also engaged into health promotion projects, sport events, summer youth camps, establishment of English language resource centers.

Peace Corps volunteers arrive at invitation of Kyrgyzstan based on intergovernmental agreement signed between the Governments of the United States and Kyrgyzstan in 1993. The work of Peace Corps volunteers supports Peace Corps' three goals: to help interested countries meet their needs for trained men and women; to promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the people where volunteers serve; to promote a better understanding of other people on the part of Americans.

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