Museum of the Peace Corps Experience in Portland, Oregon
For me this post brings back unfinished symphonies, sea changes, as it may for many other aging RPCV's as we…
The National Peace Corps Association’s highlighted group for the month of February is Committee for a Museum of the Peace Corps Experience. This is how the group is described:
“Bringing the world home and sharing the Peace Corps experience comes in many shapes and forms. In the northwest corner of the United States, a small yet mighty group of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) is focusing on presenting the Peace Corps to thousands by having a permanent museum. Read more about the Committee for a Museum of the Peace Corps Experience, our National Peace Corps Association affiliate group of the month for February.”
Read more at: http://www.peacecorpsconnect.org/2016/02/npca-featured-group-committee-for-a-museum-of-the-peace-corps-experience/
The Peace Corps Act (Sec. 2517. Activities promoting Americans’ understanding of other peoples)
“In order to further the goal of the Peace Corps, as set forth in section 2 of this Act [22 U.S.C. 2501], relating to the promotion of a better understanding of other peoples on the part of the American people, the Director, utilizing the authorities under section 10(a) [22 U.S.C. 2509(a)(1)] of this Act and other provisions of law, shall, as appropriate, encourage, facilitate, and assist activities carried out by former volunteers in furtherance of such goal and the efforts of agencies, organizations, and other individuals to support or assist in former volunteers’ carrying out such activities.”
However, almost all activities in pursuit of what we call The Third Goal have been initiated and carried out by RPCVs without funding or much support from the Peace Corps agency. Wouldn’t it be great if Peace Corps would “encourage, facilitate, and assist” the development of this permanent Museum and others like it all over the United States, including the Peace Corps building in Washington DC?
For me this post brings back unfinished symphonies, sea changes,
as it may for many other aging RPCV’s as we ride along in lives sledding/ floating into the gloaming and proud to have been part of something as fine as the Peace Corps and not forgetting our Domestic Peace Corps that did so much here in our own with our own as well.
Edward Mycue (Ghana I)