US Ambassador Julie Chung joined Peace Corps Sri Lanka Country Director Jeffrey Goveia in Vavuniya today to administer the Pledge of Service to twenty-three new Peace Corps Volunteers.  Nimali Baduraliya, Director of English and Foreign Languages at the Ministry of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education, also attended the ceremony. The event marked a major milestone for the US Peace Corps as the incoming Volunteers begin their two-year assignments supporting English language education across Sri Lanka, expanding Peace Corps’ presence beyond existing placements in the Uva and Central Provinces into communities in the Northern and North Central Provinces for the first time in decades.

In her virtual remarks, Ambassador Chung highlighted the spirit of service and the people-to-people ties at the heart of the US–Sri Lanka partnership. “Today we celebrate service, partnership, and the enduring friendship between the people of Sri Lanka and the United States. Since 1962, nearly six hundred Peace Corps Volunteers have served here, creating a living bridge between our nations. As English Volunteers, you will help open doors to education and opportunity. And by learning Sinhala or Tamil and participating in community life, you honor the people you will serve…You represent the United States not as officials, but as lower-case ‘a’ ambassadors of the American people. The kindness you show, the curiosity you bring, and the respect you offer will speak more loudly than any policy ever could. You embody the best of our country’s spirit — a belief that the world is stronger when we serve beside our friends.”

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, who also serves as Minister of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education, welcomed the Volunteers, through a prepared statement that was delivered on her behalf by Nimali Baduraliya, and recognized their contribution to strengthening English language learning across Sri Lanka. “I extend my congratulations and gratitude to the new batch of 23 United States Peace Corps Volunteers who are being sworn in today and beginning their two year service in Sri Lanka to strengthen English language education in Sri Lanka, Your decision to dedicate your time and skills and compassion to our communities is deeply appreciated by the Government and the people of Sri Lanka.”

Peace Corps Sri Lanka Country Director Jeffrey Goveia emphasized the strength and continuity of the partnership with the Ministry. “Peace Corps’ partnership with the Ministry is the foundation that makes our work possible, and we are grateful for the Ministry’s long-standing collaboration. We are here at the Ministry’s invitation and aligned with its commitment to strengthen English language learning across Sri Lanka. The Pledge of Service reflects that shared purpose. Our Volunteers serve not as experts, but as partners—working shoulder-to-shoulder with teachers, students, and communities to support the Ministry’s goals and contribute to the country’s ongoing investment in education.”

As part of their 12-week pre-service training, the Volunteers studied Sinhala or Tamil to help them navigate daily life and settle into the communities where they will serve. Their training also included cross-cultural workshops, classroom preparation, and hands-on teaching practice at local schools near Vavuniya. Peace Corps Volunteers are also strengthening English education across Sri Lanka by leading school-break English camps and partnering with Regional English Support Centers to train teachers and develop new tools that will benefit classrooms for years to come.

Following the ceremony, the newly sworn-in Volunteers will travel to schools across the Northern and North Central Provinces, expanding Peace Corps’ geographic footprint and deepening its engagement with Sri Lankan communities. Over the next two years, they will co-teach English alongside Sri Lankan educators, participate in community life, and support locally led education initiatives.

Nearly 600 Americans have served as Peace Corps Volunteers in Sri Lanka. The new cohort will join those already serving in the Uva and Central Provinces, bringing the total number of Volunteers supporting English language education and people-to-people connections to 53 nationwide. Peace Corps departed Sri Lanka in 1998 and was invited to return in 2016, resuming operations in 2018 under a renewed partnership with the Ministry of Education.