Celebrating 60 Years of Peace Corps Colombia Group 1
June 25, 2021 marked the 60th anniversary of the first Peace Corps group to begin pre-service training, our very own Colombia I cohort. To celebrate this anniversary, FOC provided a free online screening of A Towering Task: The Story of the Peace Corps and hosted a panel discussion with:
- Tom Mullins, Peace Corps Colombia I group member
- Alana DeJoseph, Film Director, A Towering Task
- Matthew Carlson, Country Director, Peace Corps Colombia
- Daniel Avila-Camacho, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Colombia in the U.S.
A recording of the event is available here. Topics ranged from the history of Peace Corps Colombia, Peace Corps Colombia’s plans for the future, how the pandemic and national protests have impacted nuestra querida Colombia, and much more!
Embassy Visit
Prior to returning to Colombia, Ambassador Francisco Santos hosted FOC at the Colombian embassy in Washington, D.C. in July. The dozen FOC members that attended enjoyed drinks and hors d’oeuvres while we discussed the 60th anniversary of the Peace Corps in Colombia and shared memories of our services with Ambassador Santos and other embassy staff.
October Gathering
After nearly two years, we were finally able to have our first in-person social in October! We invited DC-area FOC members and friends to gather and talk about our favorite topic—Colombia!
FOC members new and old showed up to enjoy some delicious food from La Fonda Paisa as well as some homemade treats. Some members got to meet in person for the first time and we welcomed new friends into our group, including some Colombian transplants and RPCVs from Colombia and other countries. Katheryne Kramer (RPCV Turkmenistan) said, “it was a great social event that showed the spirit of the RPCV community and it inspired me to learn more about Colombia.”
