Peace Corps Participant Assistant Meredith Adhikari accompanied the Peace Corps participants to a reception honoring their contributions to this year's festival. Here is a bit more on the event:

"A few days ago, the Peace Corps threw a reception for 2011 Smithsonian Folklife Festival participants at Union Station to recognize the efforts and impacts Peace Corps Volunteers and their Host Communities have had across the globe. Currently serving volunteers, returned volunteers, and staff at Peace Corps headquarters mingled with the more than 60 participants representing the communities working with Peace Corps in 16 countries represented at the Festival this year."

"The Deputy Director of Peace Corps Carrie Hessler-Radelet and Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage Director Dan Sheehy acknowledged the work in health, education, agriculture, community and youth development and small business development projects that Peace Corps volunteers have contributed to for the past 50 years. Since I myself was a Peace Corps volunteer in China from 2004 to 2006, it was very satisfying to hear how the Peace Corps has made a difference in so many lives and to know I contributed to that. Carrie summed it up best when she said Peace Corps service doesn't just last two years, it lasts a lifetime."

Click on the image below to enlarge and view the gallery.

• 
• 
• 
• 

• Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Laura Kutner with Guatemala participants Reyna Floridalma Alvarado Ortiz de Ramirez and Zonia Judith García de García.
  Photo by Meredith Adhikari
• Issa Téssougué, Simbè Sankaré, and Moussa Fofana of Mali await the Peace Corps reception.
  Photo by Meredith Adhikari
• Peace Corps Participant Assistant Meredith Adhikari with Kenya participants Ngaharin Lebitileg, Munten Lebitilig, Lilian Nalilian Lekadaa, Nkerisapa Lewano and Ntomulan Loibor.
  Photo courtesy of Meredith Adhikari
• Peace Corps participants at their reception.
  Photo by Meredith Adhikari

Diana Bossa Bastidas is the Colombia participant assistant for the 2011 Folklife Festival.