The Director of the U.S.'s Peace Corps Aaron S. Williams welcomed the reactivating of the Peace Corps program by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his United States' counterpart Barack Obama, the national news agency Antara quoted a statement from the U.S. embassy on Monday.
"We are very honoured because Indonesia will be the host for the next Peace of Corps volunteers that is inspired by the devotion heritage of President Kennedy," said Williams following the program reactivating by the
two leaders in a bilateral discussion on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Singapore on Nov. 15.
Williams said that in the last 48 years, the Peace Corps have been calling at least 200,000 Americans to serve communities outside their
country.
"I am looking forward to cooperate with the government and people of Indonesia. The cooperation will push Americans and Indonesians to go together in promoting understanding between the two countries' people," said Williams, who was a member of the corps to the Republic of Dominica in 1967-1970.
The first volunteer group will be arrived to Indonesia in 2010 and work as English teachers in high schools and teachers training centers in East Java province.
The U.S. Ambassador for Indonesia Cameron Hume said that the program in Indonesia showed more closely bilateral ties between the countries.
"Apart of bringing expertise in teaching English, relationship between volunteers and hosts, friends and colleagues from Indonesia will further push ties of inter-communities, understanding and cross-culture communication between the two countries," said Hume, who was a member of the corps to Libya in 1968-1969.
The corps established by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 and was once carried out in Indonesia in 1963-65.
The corps have mission to promote the world's peace and friendship between countries. Currently, the Peace Corps has around 7,500 volunteers installed in 75 countries.
Indonesia will be the 76th country that will host the volunteers.