Peace Corps Week 2009 - February 23 - March 2, 2009

Tucson and the World

This annual event joins the Peace Corps Fellows/USA Program at The University of Arizona with Southern Arizona Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) and the UA Peace Corps Campus recruiting office to celebrate and to share with our community. Peace Corps Week cultivates intercultural understanding of peoples around the world and is a time to connect with extraordinary individuals who weren't just tourists, but who lived in another part of the world. Join the 800+ RPCV's of Southern Arizona in celebrating this worthwhile occasion.

Peace Corps Week 2009 Events

Film Showing & Conversation - "Death of Two Sons"

The documentary looks at the lives of Amadou Diallo, the Guinean immigrant who was shot 41 times by police officers in New York City, and Jesse Thyne, the Peace Corps Volunteer who lived with Diallo's family in Guinea and died in a car accident there. This uplifting documentary shows the cultural exchange between the families and the activism in both countries sparked by their deaths. In Guinea, Peace Corps volunteers rallied to raise awareness about the unsafe road conditions and in the US, the African American community and others rallied to end racial profiling. Following the screening, a Q/A session was held with the film producers/directors over skype.This event was co-sponsored with the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership as part of the African American Heritage Month celebration on campus.

School & Community Presentations

Each year, RPCV's fan out to present their experience of Peace Corps in schools and across the community. We told our story to 89 groups, reaching 2000 people of all ages. Groups can request a speaker by submitting a Speaker Request Form or emailing  Kristen.

Peace Corps Fair - UA Student Union North Ballroom

Alumni Jared Buono & Deb PinkneyMore than 100 returned Peace Corps Volunteers shared their experiences with 500 guests. See some of the displays, textiles, art, mementos, costumes, photographs, and amazing stories shared in our slideshow or Gallery. Peace Corps Recruiters fielded questions about serving. Former Peace Corps Director Jack Vaugn opened the event.

Peace Corps Fair Agenda

HIV/AIDS Worldwide - Panel discussion with C. Vanessa Barnes (Namibia), Brooke Bender (South Africa), Kevin Koegel (Eastern Caribbean, and Jessica Risco (Morocco) [Storytelling Corner]

Welcome from Jack Vaughn, Director of U.S. Peace Corps, 1966-69 [Main Stage]

A Day in the Life - Panel discussion with Carolyn Beal (Guatemala), Hannah Carlson (Azerbaijan), Kevin Koegel (Eastern Caribbean), and Adam Springer (Lesotho) [Storytelling Corner]

Open Mic - Stories from Peace Corps [Story Telling Corner]

RPCV Group Photo - [Main Stage]

February 28 - Service Project

Trash pickup with Humane Border on heavily travelled migrant routes

Other Events

Sahuaro Girl Scout Council Thinking Day

Some 25 RPCV's volunteered to assist Sahuaro Girl Scout Council with their International Thinking Day. RPCV's worked with a troop to learn about a Peace Corps country and to develop an interactive exhbit shared with Girl Scouts across Tucson.

Thanks to our Peace Corps Week 2009 Donors!

Partners:

U.S. Peace Corps

The University of Arizona Graduate College

The Graduate and Professional Student Council

Corporate Partners Grant, the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership, and the Arizona Student Unions

Residence Hall Association

Sponsors:

The Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health

The Center for Latin American Studies

The Eller MBA Program

Desert Doves - Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Southern Arizona

Friends:

International Training and Consulting

James E. Rogers College of Law

Rotary International

School of Information Resources and Library Sciences

College of Education