PEACETOPIAN MILESTONES

A holistic movement for a better world
has been evolving throughout history...

March 1, 1961
United States Peace Corps

Much of the efforts to make life better for our communities and our world are done by volunteers -- people who work for a better world without pay. Around the world, hundreds of millions of people volunteer - nearly 65 million volunteer in America! Many volunteer organizations are run through private and public nonprofit organizations, and some are coordinated through state and national governments. In the United States, the Peace Corps has shone as a noble and rewarding example of trying to create a more peaceful, just and sustainable global community by giving one's time, energy and expertise to help people in other countries. Through service to others in different cultures, volunteers provide hands-on expertise to assist in social and economic development, help others to understand American culture, and learn about the cultures of other countries themselves. The origin of the Peace Corps stems back to shortly after World War II, when a number of members of the US Congress proposed different legislation that would create programs to coordinate volunteers in developing countries. Senator Hubert Humphrey introduced a bill to create a "Peace Corps" in 1957, but it wasn't until President John F. Kennedy took office in 1961 that it was created. President Kennedy issued an Executive Order establishing the Peace Corps on March 1, 1961, and since then more than 210,000 American Peace Corps volunteers have served in 139 countries "to promote world peace and friendship."