Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04YEREVAN1893
2004-08-27 12:03:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Yerevan
Cable title:  

NEW PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS SWORN IN BY NEW

Tags:  EAID KPAO OPRC PREL AM KMRD 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS YEREVAN 001893 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/PPD MHURLEY AND RJOHANSEN, EUR/CACEN-
ESIDEREAS

DEPT ALSO PLEASE PASS TO PEACE CORPS

E.O. 12958; N/A
TAGS: EAID KPAO OPRC PREL AM KMRD
SUBJECT: NEW PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS SWORN IN BY NEW
U.S. AMBASSADOR

UNCLAS YEREVAN 001893

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/PPD MHURLEY AND RJOHANSEN, EUR/CACEN-
ESIDEREAS

DEPT ALSO PLEASE PASS TO PEACE CORPS

E.O. 12958; N/A
TAGS: EAID KPAO OPRC PREL AM KMRD
SUBJECT: NEW PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS SWORN IN BY NEW
U.S. AMBASSADOR


1. SUMMARY: On August 23, the Ambassador swore in 51
new Peace Corps Volunteers for service in Armenia, the
largest group since the program was established in

1992. Foreign Minister Oskanian, who attended the
ceremony, spoke passionately about the high value of
the program for Armenia and U.S. - Armenia relations.
Virtually every media outlet in the country widely and
positively covered the ceremony, which included
Armenian-language performances from new Volunteers.
END SUMMARY.


2. In his first public act since arriving in Armenia
on August 21, the Ambassador swore in the 12th group of
Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) to serve in Armenia.
This new crop of 51 brings the total number of PCVs on
active service to 90. The group will serve in all four
of Peace Corps Armenia's programs: Teaching English as
a Foreign Language, Community Health Education,
Community Business Development and Environmental
Education. Before administering the oath, the
Ambassador thanked the volunteers for their service,
congratulated them on completing three months of
vigorous in-country orientation and safety training,
and charged them with being good U.S. Ambassadors to
the various town and villages where they will serve.


3. Attendance at the event was impressive. In addition
to FM Oskanian, Minister of Education Sergo Yeritsyan
and representatives from the Ministries of Trade and
Economic Development, Health Care, and Nature
Protection, were present the ceremony.


4. FM Oskanian conveyed a message of appreciation from
RA President Robert Kocharian, and expressed particular
enthusiasm regarding the program. He said that
Armenians had much to learn from PCVs, simply by virtue
of their presence, as they give up their own material
comforts to serve others and advocate volunteerism as a
rewarding experience. He noted that he himself felt
like a PCV when he made the decision to leave the U.S.
and return to Armenia following its independence.


5. As part of the very public event, PCVs demonstrated
the Armenian language skills they had gained during
their eleven weeks of training by giving speeches,
reciting a well-known Armenian poem and singing a
classic Armenian song. Predictably, the volunteers won
over the Armenian audience with their display of
recognition for the value of Armenian culture.

--------------
Press Coverage
--------------


6. Virtually every media outlet widely and positively
covered the swearing-in ceremony. As this was his
first public event, all eyes were focused on the
Ambassador.


7. The combination of a warm event attended by high-
level GOAM officials, fresh-faced PCVs quoting Armenian
poets, and the debut of the new U.S. Ambassador who
peppered his speech with Armenian phrases, generated a
full 24 hours of extremely positive coverage for Peace
Corps and U.S. assistance in Armenia.

EVANS