Fortieth Anniversary of the Peace Corps

Proclamation 7410 of February 28, 2001

Fortieth Anniversary of the Peace Corps

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

The generous spirit of the American people has given
this country a great and long-standing tradition of
voluntary service. During the past four decades, the
members of the Peace Corps have carried on that
tradition with dramatic and far-reaching effect.

Established in 1961, the Peace Corps has brought a
wealth of practical assistance to individuals and
communities through out the world. Since its inception,
more than 161,000 Americans have served as Peace Corps
volunteers in 134 countries. Peace Corps volunteers
have not only helped to fill immediate and dire human
needs, but also have helped promote sustainable, long-
term development in agriculture, business, education,
urban development, health care, and the environment.

In many countries of the world, there exists an intense
hunger for peace, hope, and opportunity--for genuine
social and economic development that is rooted in
respect for human rights and a belief in human
potential. Recognizing the dignity and worth of all
peoples and determined to help individuals help
themselves, Peace Corps volunteers have served as our
Nation's emissaries of hope and goodwill. Accordingly,
their generous efforts have helped to foster mutual
understanding and respect between the people of the
United States and citizens of other countries.

Respected for its work around the world, the Peace
Corps also conducts a number of valuable programs here
at home. For example, through programs such as the Paul
Coverdell World Wise Schools and Peace Corps Fellows/
USA, Peace Corps volunteers are helping children in
every State of our Nation to learn more about the world
in which we live.

I am pleased to note that the current volunteer corps
is the most ethnically diverse in Peace Corps history
and that more and more Americans are joining in the
work of the Peace Corps through its growing
partnerships with the public and private sectors. These
trends are a tribute to the many past achievements of
the Peace Corps, and they are a promising sign of more
to come.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United
States, do hereby urge all Americans to observe March
1, 2001--the 40th anniversary of the Peace Corps--with
appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities
designed to honor Peace Corps volunteers, past and
present, for their many contributions to our country
and to the universal cause of peace and human progress.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our Lord
two thousand one, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and twenty-fifth.

(Presidential Sig.)B