... 2008 (today), is celebrated the 1st day of Women's History Month. Our prior post on this commemoration is here.
... 1961, U.S. President John F. Kennedy signed Executive Order 10924, which established a Peace Corps (logo at right) "responsible for the training and service abroad of men and women of the United States in new programs of assistance to nations and areas of the world, and in conjunction with or in support of existing economic assistance programs of the United States and of the United Nations and other international organizations." In a statement that can be read and heard here, Kennedy predicted that although "the life will not be easy, it will be rich and satisfying. For every young American who participates in the Peace Corps -- who works in a foreign land -- will know that he or she is sharing in the great common task of bringing to man that decent way of life which is the foundation of freedom and a condition of peace." Since then, according to the Peace Corps' website, "more than 190,000 Peace Corps Volunteers have been invited by 139 host countries to work on issues ranging from AIDS education to information technology and environmental preservation."
... 1947, in Washington, D.C., 1 of the international organizations established as a result of the
1944 conference held in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, the International Monetary Fund (logo at left), began financial operations. Operating as an overseer of the global economy and as an international lender for development projects, the IMF's tripled in membership since its founding -- today it has 185 states parties.
