Malaysians and Americans Celebrate 'An Enduring Bond' in Pahang

US Embassy Press Attaché Harvey Sernovitz and Pahang State Legislative Assemblywoman Dato’ Shahaniza Shamsuddin at the signing of the commemorative plaque. Looking on are Director of the Pahang State Public Library Puan Hajjah Faridzah and other guests.

ETAs (from left): Lauren Parsons, Holly Berkley, Peter Culviner, and Owen Cortner reading the Peace Corps Malaysia 50th Anniversary commemorative booklet. (U.S. Embassy photo)

On August 9, U.S. Embassy Press Attaché Harvey Sernovitz and Pahang State Assemblywoman and Deputy Chairperson of the Pahang State Library Board Dato’ Shahaniza Shamsuddin jointly launched the opening of the Peace Corps Malaysia travelling photo exhibit. About 140 people attended the launching ceremony, including state government officers, teachers, high school and secondary school students, librarians, media representatives, and the public.  Fulbright English Teaching Assistants (ETA) Lauren Parsons, Holly Berkley, Owen Cortner and Peter Culviner also attended the event, along with Director of the Pahang State Public Library Puan Hajjah Faridzah Jaafar, Lincoln Resource Center (LRC) Director Gerard George and LRC Librarian Nurhajariah Matrang, and U.S. Embassy Press Assistant Hisham Selamat.
 
Harvey Sernovitz delivered the speech, punctuated by both Malay and English poems reflecting enduring bonds between the U.S and Malaysia.  Harvey's speech, delivered in Malay, won repeated ovations from Dato' Shahaniza and the audience. 

In her remarks, Dato Shahaniza acknowledged the significant contributions of the Peace Corps and the ETAs whose spirit of volunteerism carries on the Peace Corps legacy in Pahang, Johor and Terengganu. She also thanked the U.S. Embassy for choosing the Pahang State Public Library to host the travelling Peace Corps Photo Exhibit.

The audience then joined the VIPs in a guided tour of the Peace Corps Photo Exhibit depicting the work conducted by the U.S. Peace Corps during Malaysia’s formative years, and the friendships they formed with Malaysian counterparts in a variety of fields, including education, health, agriculture, and technology. 

The same morning, Harvey Sernovitz, Dato’ Shahaniza Shamsuddin, and ETAs Lauren Parsons, Holly Berkley, Owen Cortner and Peter Culviner answered a range of questions about the Peace Corps and its successor, the ETA Program, the travel history of the Peace Corps Photo Exhibit and its forthcoming destinations in Malaysia.  RTM, The Star, Berita Harian, Sinar Harian, and Sin Chew represented the media panel.
 
The Peace Corps Photo Exhibit is available for public viewing at the Perbadanan Perpustakaan Awam Pahang, Jalan Gambut, Kuantan, Pahang, from August 9 to 23, 2012. The exhibit has traveled through KL, Alor Setar, Seberang-Jaya and Georgetown (in Penang) and Melaka before reaching Kuantan.  It will continue onwards to the rest of Peninsular Malaysia, and Sabah and Sarawak over the course of 2012.