By: Eoghan Olkeriil Ngirudelsang

Koror, Palau – A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed on Tuesday, September 24, in New York City, to reinstate the Peace Corps program in Palau. The agreement was formalized between Minister Caleb Udui Jr. and U.S. Peace Corps Director Carol Spahn during the United Nations General Assembly, where President Surangel Whipps Jr. and his delegation were in attendance.

The program will focus on education, with 10 volunteers set to arrive in the first year to support the Ministry of Education, led by former Peace Corps volunteer Minister Dale Jenkins. According to a press release from the Peace Corps, the MOU aims to “advance education priorities” in Palau.

The signing ceremony was attended by President Whipps, Senator Mason Whipps, Delegate Umetaro, and Delegate Gulibert as part of Palau’s delegation.

“We are honored to have the opportunity to create new connections and strengthen the enduring friendships between the people of Palau and the United States,” said Peace Corps Director Spahn.

The Peace Corps first sent volunteers to Palau in 1966. By 2018, more than 4,400 volunteers had served in Micronesia and Palau over nearly six decades. The Peace Corps, established in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy, is an international service network composed of American volunteers.

Minister Jenkins, along with Mr. John Lamb, who arrived in Palau as a Peace Corps volunteer in the 1960s and now works at Emmaus-Bethania High School, exemplifies the lasting impact of the program. Many volunteers have remained in Palau, contributing to the community, with some marrying locals and continuing their lives on the island.