Schedule For U of Wisconsin-Madison Event

A conference organized by the University of Wisconsin-Madison African Studies Program to honor fifty years of volunteer service and assess the impact of the Peace Corps in Africa and beyond

Preliminary Program

March 24–26, 2011

Memorial Union, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Thursday, March 24th

5:00-7:00 Welcoming reception,co-hosted by the UW-Madison African Studies Program, the Chicago Peace Corps Recruiting Office, and Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Madison. Off-campus venue: Promega Corporate Headquarters, 2800 Woods Hollow Road, Fitchburg (15 minutes from Memorial Union; bus transport provided by the organizers). Promega is the site of a month-long exhibition of Peace Corps memorabilia and reflections, curated by Donna Page, who, after welcoming remarks by the organizers, will briefly describe the exhibit. Refreshments provided in the gallery.

Friday, March 25th

8:15-8:45 Coffee

8:45–10:15 Panel 1: Fifty Years of the Peace Corps in Africa: Presentations and discussions featuring scholars

10:30-12:00 Panel 2: The Past and Future of International Development, Humanitarian Aid, andPresentations and discussion featuring scholars, observers, and critics of international All Day Story Booth: Peace Corps Reflections: Record your Peace Corps story (it does not have to be Africa-connected); audio and video options available, ten-minute maximum; stories will be edited and assembled for posterity and available for web access; selected clips will be included in an expanded (late 2011) version of the Dan Banda documentary (see below)

12:00-1:00 On your own for lunch

1:15-2:45 Panel 3: Fifty Years of Return: Former Peace Corps Volunteers in America: Presentations

3:00-4:00 African Politics Today, a lecture by Crawford Young

4:15-5:15 Friday Keynote Address 1: C. Payne Lucas, Peace Corps Assistant Director, Togo; director, Niger; and Director of Returned Volunteers, 1961-1971. Co-founder of Africare

5:30-6:30 Friday Keynote Address 2: William Josephson, founding staff member (with Sargent Shriver and Bill Moyers) of the United States Peace Corps.

6:30-8:00 On your own for dinner and sociability in Madison.

8:00-10:00 Peace Corps in the Telling: Two prepared stories of 20 minutes each, told by professional writers who served in the Peace Corps, interwoven with 5-minute spontaneous (or not-soUpdated spontaneous) open-mike presentations by RPCVs willing to come to the stage from the audience, Frederick March Play Circle, Memorial Union

Saturday, March 26th

All Day Story Booth: Peace Corps Reflections: Record your Peace Corps story

12:00-1:00 On your own for lunch

1:15-2:15 Film Premier, Peace Corps Africa, Peace Corps Wisconsin, a documentary film by Emmy Award winning documentarist Dan Banda (includes discussion with Dan Banda)

2:30-4:00 Panel 6: The Peace Corps and American Foreign Policy: Brief presentations and discussion featuring Senator Russ Feingold (unconfirmed), Governor Jim Doyle (unconfirmed), Congressman Thomas Petri, Ambassador and former Congressman Mark Green, Ambassador John Lange (unconfirmed), and two African ambassadors and/or former heads of state (to be announced).

4:15 Welcome and Introduction to the Keynote Program, Carolyn (Biddy) Martin, Chancellor, University of Wisconsin-Madison

4:30-5:45 Saturday Keynote Address: The Peace Corps in the 21st Century, Aaron Williams, Director, United States Peace Corps

6:00-6:30 Reception for Director Williams and Returned Peace Corps Volunteers

6:30-8:00 On your own for dinner in Madison

8:00 pm – 1:00 am The Ultimate Peace Corps Party, music, dance, and sociability, featuring bands from at least two African countries, Great Hall, Memorial Union