WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 5, 2014 – The Peace Corps today released a new public service announcement (PSA) featuring the song “Peace” by American rock band O.A.R. and volunteer-submitted photos that capture the authentic Peace Corps experience. The new PSA can be viewed on YouTube’s homepage today, which is routinely visited more than 100 million times each day in the U.S.

“Volunteers are the heart of the Peace Corps, and these passionate photos provide a glimpse into their stories and the moments that will forever change them and the communities they serve,” Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet said. “As we revitalize our recruitment and outreach, we hope this new message will inspire viewers to learn more about how they can make a difference with the Peace Corps.”

The 30-second spot – titled “Defining Moments” – showcases winning photos from the agency’s Volunteer Viewfinder Photo Contest held in August that invited both current and returned volunteers to submit photos of life-defining moments from their Peace Corps service. Photos were judged on creativity, photographic quality, and strength in representing the contest theme.

The winners are:

• Michelle Chan, of Takoma Park, Maryland (returned volunteer, Jordan)
• Jonathan Foster-Moore, of Florence, Massachusetts (current volunteer, Kyrgyz Republic)
• Natalie Moore, of Alexandria, Virginia (current volunteer, Burkina Faso)
• Cappy Phalen, of Clarksville, Maryland (returned volunteer, Guinea)
• Westen Thomas, of Mandan, North Dakota (current volunteer, Cambodia)

The photos featured in the PSA are set to the words and music of “Peace,” from O.A.R.’s latest album “The Rockville LP.” The song’s lyrics include, “I want love, I want us, I want you, I want me, I want peace.”

In addition to a new PSA, the Peace Corps today launched a six week digital campaign featuring the winning volunteer photos on platforms like Hulu, Pandora, Facebook and ESPN.

Today’s releases follow historic recruitment reforms announced by Hessler-Radelet this summer to engage a wider pool of prospective Peace Corps applicants. With a streamlined application process and a larger, more diverse recruitment strategy, the agency is modernizing its operations to attract the best and brightest volunteers across the country.

See the winning photos from the Volunteer Viewfinder Photo Contest here. To request an interview, please email [email protected].