“Making Peace with the World” needs you!

“Making Peace with the World” is a photo documentary project by Photojournalist RPCV Richard Sitler (Peace Corp Volunteer Jamaica 2000-2002, Crisis Corps Volunteer Jamaica 2006).

As posted by the National Peace Corps Association, “In 2011, the Peace Corps community will be marking 50 years from when President Kennedy asked us to give two years of our lives to travel abroad, help others help themselves, and bring our experiences home in ways that serve the country.” The “Making Peace with the World” documentary will serve the Peace Corps in marking its 50th anniversary by the production of a documentary project, photo/essay book and blog that will give an intimate view of the everyday life and service of a cross section of today’s Peace Corps volunteers. This project will help the viewer obtain a feeling of ownership of and participation in the Peace Corps. This documentary will advance the essential work of Peace Corps by promoting the work of today’s volunteers in order to encourage viewers of the project to support Peace Corps.

Richard is seeking publicity and funding for the project. In the Peace Corps spirit of “the power of individuals to make a difference” you can provide the necessary assistance to make possible the completion of this project.

Please help by donating as little as $5 to “http://www.thepoint.com/campaigns/making-peace-with-the-world” http://www.thepoint.com/campaigns/making-peace-with-the-world
Help with publicity for this project by telling your friends, family and colleagues to check it out!

Visit the following web sites for a sample of project photographs and to find out more about the project:

“http://www.thepoint.com/campaigns/making-peace-with-the-world” http://www.thepoint.com/campaigns/making-peace-with-the-world (The Point includes fund raising for the project and also posts and announcements) “http://www.smalltownphotojournalist.com/” http://www.smalltownphotojournalist.com/ (Richard’s small town photojournalist site includes a slides show of various small town photos, essays on his recent travel experiences, a slide show of Paraguay photos, previous posts and photo archives)

“http://glimpse.org/accounts/facebook_789907501/profile/” http://glimpse.org/accounts/facebook_789907501/profile/ (Richard’s “Glimpse” blog: Glimpse –Your Stories from Abroad – Supported in part by National Geographic Society).

“http://www.lightstalkers.org/richard_rutledge_sitler” http://www.lightstalkers.org/richard_rutledge_sitler (lightstalkers site includes Richard’s bio and photo galleries)

“http://www.richard-sitler.com/” http://www.richard-sitler.com/ (Richard’s web site includes Richard’s resume, contact information, portfolio and licensing and sales information)

“http://community.peacecorpsconnect.org:80/profiles/blog/list?user=2c4oktw9v8mpv” http://community.peacecorpsconnect.org:80/profiles/blog/list?user=2c4oktw9v8mpv (Richard’s Peace Corps Connect blog)

Accomplishments to Date:

Richard has begun documenting the service of Peace Corps volunteers in Inter-America and the Caribbean. He has shadowed volunteers in the following countries: Jamaica, Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Ecuador.

Richard states, “I have photographed volunteers in the sectors of youth development, small business and economic development, health, environment and agriculture. Although the volunteers’ main projects are in specific sectors, volunteers become involved in a myriad of projects and activities as they become immersed in their communities. The volunteers I have photographed have been from all over the U.S. States – represented so far are volunteers from Indiana, Iowa, Virginia, Washington, California, New York and Colorado. The volunteers also represent the racial and cultural diversity of the United States. The sites and host country people also have been diverse. I have photographed volunteers in different settings, from a highland coffee growing region of beautiful mists and sudden rain showers in Nicaragua to a volunteer in a sleepy Belize village near a Mayan temple.”

Needed for Completion:

In order to complete the project, Richard is seeking funding via the web site The Point. He is currently back in the United States to raise funds to document volunteers in Africa, Europe and the Mediterranean, Central and East Asia and the Pacific. Please help this project come to fruition by providing support via The Point ( “http://www.thepoint.com/campaigns/making-peace-with-the-world” http://www.thepoint.com/campaigns/making-peace-with-the-world). Or, you may send a donation directly to Richard by contacting him at HYPERLINK "mailto:RichS85@yahoo.com" RichS85@yahoo.com for details.