PEACE CORPS PARK

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Certain fundamental American ideals have yet to find an expressive voice in our capital landscape – voluntary humanitarian service, compassion for those less fortunate, and our national commitment to help others around the world eliminate the barriers of poverty, ignorance and disease.


In fulfillment of that need, on January 24, 2014, the United States Congress and President Obama authorized the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation to erect a commemorative work in Washington, DC honoring the American ideals that were fundamental in creating the Peace Corps and that are expressed in Peace Corps service.

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TELLING THE REST OF AMERICA’S STORY

an inspiring narrative of volunteer service and global citizenship in the nation's capital

Peace Corps Park will stand on a triangular National Park Service site in the heart of Washington, D.C. near the U.S. Capitol and National Mall. Bounded by 1st Street to the west and C Street to the north, the site faces Louisiana Avenue opposite Taft Park and three blocks from Union Station, the city’s major transportation hub.



The National Park Service will maintain Peace Corps Park in perpetuity.

Latest News

Bob Vila for Peace Corps Park: Not everything we build will last forever, but our values will

May 15, 2025
Most people know me from the almost 30 years I’ve spent on television hosting educational shows about home improvement, but what most of them don’t know is that my journey started in the Peace Corps. When I went to Panama to serve as an urban community development volunteer in 1969, it was my first time working with my hands to help people build shelter. Seeing the impact of that work was transformative, and I’ve dedicated myself and my philanthropic efforts to the cause of homelessness ever since, inspired by the values of community partnership that are at the heart of Peace Corps service. When I made the decision to serve, I didn’t know a single person in my high school who was interested in the Peace Corps except me. But in Panama–and ever since–I found a community of like-minded people who understand that when we work together, we can build truly meaningful things. It’s up to us to make sure America never forgets that. Because it seems that society has shifted, with young people today seeming more preoccupied with the material world and losing sight of the importance of altruistic pursuits, and with people becoming more polarized than ever. I don’t know how to fix this culture, but I know that the Peace Corps, and its mission, is part of the answer. Peace Corps Park is a critical commitment to our shared legacy, not only because of its physical role among the monuments and memorials of Washington, D.C., but also because of the digital experience that will tell the story of the Peace Corps to a much wider audience. That is why I’ve chosen to make a donation , and to support the effort by sharing a bit of my story, because reminding the world about our commitment to peace and partnership is critical at a time when relationships with our allies are being tested every day. Not everything we build will stand forever, but our values certainly will, and we must make sure that happens. So please join me in supporting Peace Corps Park and help us build this inspiring vision in the heart of our nation’s capital.  Thank you for your support,

April Newsletter: A robust, nonpartisan coalition for global peace and partnership

April 30, 2025
April Newsletter: A robust, nonpartisan coalition for global peace and partnership

March Newsletter: Updated timeline: The path to Peace Corps Park takes shape

March 27, 2025
March Newsletter: Updated timeline: The path to Peace Corps Park takes shape
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Join Us in Building
a Legacy of Peace

Help us build Peace Corps Park, a beacon of our shared values of peace and partnership, and tell the rest of America's story in Washington, D.C.

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  • "Ask not what your country can do for you – Ask what you can do for your country"


    ~ John F. Kennedy

  • Peace is our calling. Peacemaking is our skill. The world needs peace. Peace needs you.


    ~ Sargent Shriver

    First Director of the Peace Corps

  • Be not afraid to seek peace, even if your voice may be small.


    ~ Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

    President of Liberia, 2006-2018

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    It is in your hands to make a better world for all who live in it.


    ~ Nelson Mandela

    President of South Africa, 1994-99

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PEACE CORPS PARK in Washington, D.C., (PeaceCorpsCommemorative.org) is a congressionally authorized initiative of the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation in collaboration with the National Park Service, which owns and will maintain the park. PEACE CORPS PLAZA in Minnesota (PeaceCorpsLegacy.org) is a national initiative of the Peace Corps Legacy Association in collaboration with the National Peace Corps Association and is the cornerstone of a 3.5-acre national service park.

Both projects honor Peace Corps ideals and values, but they are separate in their leadership, locations, and funding. As 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, they rely on voluntary contributions.

Donors are encouraged to support both projects.