"On October 14, 1960, in the final weeks of campaigning for the presidency, John F. Kennedy, first speaking about his idea of the Peace Corps, told about 10,000 students in front of the University of Michigan Student Union, that " your willingness to contribute part of your life to this country, I think will depend on the answer to whether a free society can compete."

Dan Daly, a New York City 9/11 fire-fighting hero, demonstrated the spirit that Kennedy had evoked when he came to India as a voluntary speaker for the public diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy in the fall of 2003.

A retired fire-fighting chief, Daly captivated New Delhi audiences during his presentations on 9/11 and the Fire Department's work at Ground Zero, sharing his experience in disaster management with Indian counterparts in public administration, the hotel industry, and the fraternity of Indian firefighters.

In his firefighter's uniform and hat, Chief Daly reflected the aura of a genuine hero, a latter day Lone Ranger. In visits to several local secondary schools, he drew standing ovations with his focus on values to be learned from 9/11, the stories of courage and brotherhood in the face of terrorist horror, and the importance of education in the pursuit of excellence.

Dan Daly's decision to pick up a mike and talk Peace after he retired, is a shining example of the contribution to one's country and a free society that President Kennedy inspired.