peace corps PARK
An Effort 20 Years in the Making
In January 2014, a bipartisan act of the United States Congress authorized the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation to establish a national commemorative work on Federal land in Washington, D.C.
The Commemorative is to recognize the historic significance of the establishment of the Peace Corps in 1961 and to honor the timeless, enduring American ideals on which the Peace Corps was founded.
This unique commemorative work is about our aspirations and character as Americans – “the better angels of our nature” – manifested in the Peace Corps idea.
History of Peace Corps Park: A Long Journey to the National Mall
The journey of the Foundation, and the commemorative work that came to be called Peace Corps Park, goes back 23 years and reflects the mobilization and dedication of dozens of leaders in the Peace Corps and volunteer service community. From securing legislation after an advocacy effort that spanned three sessions of Congress to assembling a world-class design team, the Foundation has accomplished so much already thanks to the generosity of its broad group of supporters.
Phase 1: Congressional Approval (2001-2014)
Founding directors Susan Flaherty and Kevin Quigley created the “Peace Corps Museum and Memorial” with Tom Roha in 2001, raising seed funding and awareness in Congress, and exploring a partnership with various sites in Washington, D.C., including the U.S. Institute of Peace, Kennedy Center, and Newseum.
An advocacy campaign on Capitol Hill led by National Peace Corps Association built support for legislation authorizing the project that was first introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA) in December 2009.
After serving four years as vice president, Roger K. Lewis became president of the Foundation in 2012, and a refreshed Board that included directors Bonnie Gottlieb, Gordon Radley, and Ellen Lewis began pursuing a dedicated, standalone site for Peace Corps Park. Meanwhile, the advocacy campaign ramped up on Capitol Hill, with legislation introduced in the Senate in 2013 by Sen Rob Portman (R-OH) and in the House by Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-MA), with the bill passing at the end of the legislative session. The Peace Corps Commemorative Works Act was signed into law by President Barack Obama on January 24, 2014.
Phase 2: Design Selection (2014-2018)
In partnership with the National Park Service, the Foundation selects a site out of 16 locations in Washington, D.C., landing on a half-acre triangle of land on Louisiana Ave. near the U.S. Capitol in November 2014, unlocking the design phase of the project.
With a nationwide design competition ending without any of the 180 proposals being selected, the Foundation’s board of directors approached individual architects and designers, eventually retaining Larry Kirkland and Associates to lead the creative vision of the Park.
Phase 3: Design Development (2018-2024)
The design concept for Peace Corps Park envisioned a contemplative environment for people to sit and reflect on the values of peace, service and community partnership, and learn about the history of the Peace Corps in a meditative space. The core idea of a series of rounded stone benches encircling a plaza featuring a world map represented without borders was augmented by an ambitious landscaping plan designed by Michael Vergason Landscape Architects using local species of trees and shrubs.
Numerous rounds of feedback with partners at the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts led to modifications and optimization to ensure accessibility compliance and maintenance considerations, and the final design was approved by the CFA in October 2024.
Phase 4: Construction (2025-)
We are now in the construction planning process, establishing the timeline and costs for materials and fabrication, and ramping up our fundraising efforts to put chisel to stone and build our way to groundbreaking.