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The Secretary of Foreign Relations, Carlos Morales Troncoso, emphasized the work made by the Peace Corps Volunteers in the country, during the 45 years that the organization has been conducting community work in rural areas and cities of the Dominican Republic.
The government officer made these comments during his speech at the luncheon that was celebrated in a hotel in the Capital, as part of a conference organized by the direction of the American institution, in which also participated the Ambassador of the United States in the country, Hans Hertell, as well as Mrs. Jody k. Olsen, Deputy Director at the world-wide level of the Peace Corps, among others.
“President John Fitzgerald Kennedy was a precursor of the new wave of interest that in our time promotes the world in all the latitudes. He impregnated his nation and the world with a spirituality that has influenced as much or even more than his administration’s achievements”, said the Secretary of Foreign Relations.
He added that the American President “…with his reaction to the image of the presence of North American citizens abroad, and particularly in developing countries, as portrayed in the book “The ugly American”, by Lederer and Burdick. (It) was the creation of a new diplomacy, the contact of people to people, and face to face”.
Morales Troncoso expressed his belief that the present director of the Peace Corps in Dominican Republic, Romeo Massey, has skillfully put it in his words in this activity’s program: “Peace Corps, Always Beginning…”
He indicated that with the actions of the Alliance for the Progress of President Kennedy, a new form for conducting diplomatic functions began, “town to town and face to face, interacting with their equals in the countries where they are sent”.
He stated that the government and the people of the Dominican Republic appreciate the presence of the “boys and girls” of the Peace Corps with the most sincere gratitude.
“In this new deal with the relations between common citizens, without official positions of great prestige and high wages, people learned to accept and love the North Americans for who they are, most of them, simple, service oriented people, with high ideals and immense desire to understand and being understood”, stated the officer.
In his opinion, “In those relations between the volunteers and their hosts, the intimate convictions and the spiritual values that animate these collaborators are discovered.”
The Secretary of Foreign Relations highlighted the work developed by Fondo Quisqueya and the Peace Corps Volunteers in Monte Plata, assisting the deaf -blind people of that community, “working in low profile”, whose results appear to us in high profile with the result we have seen in this activity”.
He also remembered the work made by Democrat Senator Christopher Dodd, one of the first American young people who arrived at the country in 1966, remaining until 1968, (living and working) with the inhabitants of the community of Monción, Santiago Rodriguez province, collaborating in the installation of a casabe factory, which has ever since contributed with the economic development of that community and its surroundings.
The activity was attended by over 300 present and past members of the Peace Corps, whose main objective was to review to the work made by the 4,500 volunteers who have served in the Dominican Republic from February of 1962 to the present.
During the conference, conducted on February 8, 9, and 10, the delegates presented workshops on the results of their work in the Dominican Republic. Topics included Women In Development, planning and training.
During the luncheon were presented the young deaf-blind Edwin Santana and the lawyer Edgar Reyes, president of the Association of Deaf-blind People, who appreciated the collaboration of the Peace Corps and Fondo Quisqueya with the organization he directs. Also present was professor Rosa Reyes, an expert in education of people with disabilities.
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