Peace Corps Eastern Caribbean Launches Jubilee-Year Anniversary Celebrations
The Peace Corps Eastern Caribbean celebrated its 65th Anniversary this week in partnership with the Government and people of Saint Lucia during a commemorative event at the Delcer Combined School in Choiseul, Saint Lucia. The program honored one of Saint Lucia’s earliest Peace Corps Volunteer projects—the JFK Canal—developed in the early 1960s in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture.
His Excellency Felix Finisterre, Acting Governor General and Honorable Kenson Casimir, Minister for Education, Youth Development, Sports, and Digital Transformation attended the ceremony, which featured remarks from U.S. Embassy Barbados Chargé d’Affaires Karin Sullivan; Peace Corps Chief of Staff, Mr. Richard Swarttz; and Peace Corps Country Director, Ms. Kimberly Will. A special video interview with Sir Calixte George, former Minister for Agriculture—introduced by Mr. Kimuel Jn Baptiste, Acting Director for Agricultural Services—recounted the origins of Peace Corps in Saint Lucia and the design and construction of the historic JFK Canal.
Under the theme “Honoring the Past, Marching into the Future,” the celebration highlighted the canal’s enduring importance to the Choiseul community. As part of the commemoration, fruit trees were planted on the school grounds as living tributes to Peace Corps’ legacy. These trees, supported by the same watershed that once fed the JFK Canal, symbolized partnership, sustainability, and the long-lasting impact of Peace Corps’ collaboration with communities across the region.
Student performances showcased Peace Corps’ ongoing English literacy initiatives in primary schools. Across Saint Vincent, Grenada, and Dominica, Volunteers and Peace Corps staff also partnered with school 4 H and garden clubs to establish Literacy Gardens—spaces designed to encourage environmental awareness, support student learning, and promote literacy development.
Since October 15, 1961, more than 4,372 Volunteers have served in the Eastern Caribbean. At the time of the anniversary, 44 Volunteers continued this legacy across four islands, working alongside teachers, principals, and communities to expand literacy at the primary level and strengthen cultural exchange.
