Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Peace Corps Plans Memorial in DC

After receiving authorization from Congress in January 2014, the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation will move forward with its plan to construct a commemorative sculpture in Washington, D.C., to celebrate the 53-year history of the service organization.

Roger Lewis, chairman and president of the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation, explained that the idea for a commemorative sculpture originated in 2008 in anticipation of the organization’s 50th anniversary in 2011, fitting well within the restrictions of the Commemorative Works Act of 1986, which limits the creation of commemorative works in the District to honoring events at least 25 years in the past.

“The notion was that the creation of the Peace Corps in 1961 was a very significant moment in American history. We believed, as did Congress, that the ideas in its creation were now a part of American history,” he said.

The Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation was established with the sole purpose of creating the memorial. Although the design has not yet been finalized, Lewis noted that a Peace Corps commemorative work would serve as a positive addition to the District.

“We have a city full of commemorative works, monuments and memorials, mostly honoring the generals and admirals in wars. And wouldn’t it be nice to add something to that archipelago of monuments, memorials and commemoratives, something that was about making peace, America doing things for the cause of peace and goodwill?” Lewis said.

Erica Burman, director of communications for the National Peace Corps Association, a nonprofit for returned Peace Corps volunteers, echoed Lewis’ sentiments and added that the Peace Corps will fill a void in the current makeup of the city’s monuments, memorials and commemoratives.

“When you look over the monuments, over the Mall, when you take the trolley tour of Washington, there’s a lot of war and dead presidents,” she said. “There’s nowhere where you can see other elements of our national narrative sort of written on the typical landscape.”

She emphasized the project’s characterization as a commemorative, not a monument, to reflect the modesty of the Peace Corps.

“It would not be a large statue or something grandiose, because that’s just not in keeping with what the Peace Corps represents,” Burman said.

The Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation is currently in the process of securing a specific site for the project and will conduct environmental and historical assessments on four possible locations. One site that is preferred at this time, but not yet confirmed, is a quarter-acre space near the Capitol at the intersection of Louisiana Avenue, First and C streets. None of the sites lie on the National Mall itself, which is currently closed to the construction of any new structures.

As the foundation moves forward with design plans, it plans on holding a national design competition in 2015.

After the design is picked, the foundation will work with the National Capital Planning Commission to approve the design. NCPC Senior Urban Planner Lucy Kempf said NCPC will be a source of guidance but will not dictate any specifics.

“It’s generally in the staff evaluation of any site — we’ll talk about the goals for the site, but we wouldn’t be descriptive about what the design has to be,” she said. “I think the related dialogue, the memorial sponsor will propose a design concept and then we will ultimately approve that concept.”

Once a site and specific design is finalized — an end most likely over a year away — the National Park Service will oversee the actual construction and future maintenance of the commemorative. Glenn DeMarr of the National Park Service said that the NPS would follow the guidance of Congress in constructing the memorial.

“Congress considered the legislation, and when they enact the legislation, they are providing us direction that we are supposed to work with the sponsor to see that the commemoration is established. Congress, in its role, established [the commemorative’s] importance,” he said.

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