FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday, August 21, 2003

Peace Corps Headquarters Welcomes Kids For Peace Camp

WASHINGTON, D.C., August 21, 2003 – Tuesday, at the Paul D. Coverdell Headquarters Building, Peace Corps welcomed Towson University’s Kids for Peace Camp. Staff and returned Peace Corps volunteers hosted the cultural fair featuring several story-tellers and activity booths highlighting a number of countries, past and present, in which Peace Corps volunteers serve.

	A camper participates at Kids for Peace Camp.

In celebration of the cultures and traditions from the Solomon Islands, Cote d’Ivoire, Jamaica, Indonesia, and Central America, campers enjoyed many different activities such as making shell necklaces, creating shadow puppets, and learning music and traditional dances from the regions.

Located at Towson University, in Towson, Maryland, the Kids for Peace Camp is a weekly summer day camp for children ages 6-14. Each week, the campers are given the opportunity to learn about a different region of the world, which gives them an appreciation for cultures outside their own. While attending the camp, the children are given weekly passports, t-shirts featuring the countries’ flags, postcards to send home each week, and participate in activities such as issue debates, field trips to local attractions, and dance.

Since 1961, more than 170,000 volunteers have served in the Peace Corps, working in such diverse fields as education, health, HIV/AIDS education and awareness, information technology, business development, the environment, and agriculture. Peace Corps volunteers must be U.S. citizens and at least 18 years of age. Peace Corps service is a two-year commitment.

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