New US Peace Corps volunteers take oath in Hanoi
VOV.VN - The third group of 20 Peace Corps volunteers from the United States were sworn in on December 18 at the US Ambassador’s Residence in Hanoi, in an effort to support English language development and promote people-to-people exchanges in the country.
The swearing-in ceremony affirms the commitment of the two countries to efforts to strengthen bilateral ties with a vision towards the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2025.
Addressing the event, US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper emphasised that, “This new generation of Peace Corps Volunteers will contribute to this shared vision, building bridges and understanding between our two countries.”
Knapper also commended the Ministry of Education and Training and Peace Corps for completing the first programme evaluation and preparing for the renewal of the Implementing Agreement between the two governments which will take place in July next year.
Following the ceremony, the volunteers will begin their service in high schools across Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. They will also collaborate alongside local teachers in a bid to improve Vietnamese students’ English skills, creating greater access to educational and employment opportunities over the coming two years.
This milestone follows the 2020 Implementing Agreement between the US and Vietnamese governments, with the Peace Corps and the Ministry of Education and Training serving as implementing partners.
"At its core, the Peace Corps mission is about connection - connection not only between our two countries but also between the volunteers and their students, their schools and their counterparts," said Mikel Herrington, country director of Peace Corps Vietnam.
Herrington added that the representation of Government partners, schools, teachers and students in the ceremony, “is the heart of the partnership and it is ultimately the relationships we build that will be the true measure of our joint success."
Immediately after their arrival in October this year, the volunteers began a comprehensive 10-week training programme which includes Vietnamese language classes, Teaching English as a Foreign Language sessions, and practical teaching alongside local teachers.
The training will help to strengthen the skills necessary to adapt to the local context whilst working effectively in the Vietnamese educational system.
This is the third group of volunteers in Vietnam.
The Peace Corps is an independent agency under the Executive Branch of the US Government which operates a volunteer programme specifically aimed at assisting host governments in their development priorities.
