Iraq Memorial to Life

Arlington Midwest Installation representing US Soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan
photos by: glyphotography

Seventh Anniversary of US-led invasion Commemoration in Washington D.C.

February 19, 2010
One month from today marks the seventh year since the US-led invasion of Iraq exploded into the lives of everyone on earth. Over 1,300,000 civilians are dead as a result.

The Iraq Memorial to Life remembers the lives of these civilians now gone forever. It will be installed on The Mall, Washington D.C., on the north side of the Washington Monument facing the White House on the seventh anniversary, March 19, 2010.

Please help build this memorial; make as many markers as you can. The small database of the Iraq Body Count (IBC) has been used to make markers for the Iraq Memorial to Life. Visiting the website Markers you will see the list of markers yet to be made.  It takes about 5 minutes to choose and make a marker.  The memorial has grown slowly, but as more people understand the importance of taking a stand – more markers are being made.  Now at about 5,000 markers; 94,000 more markers would need to be made to build a memorial to the 7.5% of the total civilian deaths that have been documented to standards by the IBC. Send markers as soon as possible to: Peace of the Action – IMTL, PO Box 21591, Washington DC 20009

Listen to Dahr Jamail and Sam Husseini; help set up the memorial, participate in the candlelight procession, attend the dedication, and walk the memorial.

Thursday, March 18, at 6:30 – 8:00 pm. Remembering Iraq - 7 years of Occupation and Counting
Dahr Jamail and Sam Huseini will present: at Busboys and Poets (V St.)

Friday, March 19th, the seventh anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq, the Memorial will be set-up on the Mall. Nearby, a memorial to the American soldiers who have lost their lives will tell another story of the cost of this war.  Memorial volunteers will join a candlelight procession at 9:30 pm to light luminaries throughout the memorial for a 10:34 pm observance of the beginning of the invasion.

Saturday, March 20, at 10:00 am Dahr Jamail, Josh Stieber, Salam Hassan and Mark Johnson will speak as the memorial is dedicated.  (time, only, is yet tentatively)

• Dahr Jamail's books, Beyond the Green Zone and The Will to Resist, carry rare accounts of what was - and is - happening in the wars.  Jamail is a respected journalist dedicated to speaking the truth. His "dispatches" are carried by many independent media outlets and can found at his blog http://dahrjamailiraq.com/

• Josh Stieber, along with Conor Curran, both Iraq War veterans, established the ContagiousLoveExperiment and traveled the country on foot, then on bicycle, to share their experiences.  A read of the opening page of their journal is well worth your time and will lead you to explore their experiment. 

• Salam Hassan assisted Dahr Jamail in Iraq as a translator, and works with media outlets to tell the real story of Iraq. Salam's brother, Ali, was shot in Baghdad as a result of the war in Iraq while driving to work.

• Mark Johnson, Executive Director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, is recognized as an International change agent committed to social justice and economic and environmental sustainability.

For more information contact: Douglas Mackey, IMtL Coordinator (360) 485-3764 mailto:douglas.mackey@iraqmemorialtolife.org

Iraq Memorial to Life
Traditions Fair Trade
300 5th Ave SW
Olympia WA 98503

IMtL Schedule in Washington D.C., The National Mall, Washington Monument (north)

Thursday, March 18
Memorial Preparation

• teach-in, learn-about; final marker making, POTA Camp on the Mall, north of Washington Monument
• Dahr Jamail and Sam Husseini present at Busboys & Poets (V St)

Friday, March 19

• 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Build the memorial
• 7:00 – 9:30 pm Complete memorial, prepare & place luminaries for candlelight

Opening of the memorial

• 9:30 pm Silent vigil, candle light procession, lighting luminaries
• 10:34 pm "The still silent voice" moments in remembrance of Baghdad / Iraq.

Saturday, March 20
Schedule is still being coordinated to fit with ANSWER plans for a march in this area.
10:00 am Memorial Dedication
Speakers

• Opening remarks, Douglas Mackey, FOR-IMtL Coordinator
• Josh Stieber, Iraq War Veteran
• Salam Hassan, Iraqi whose brother was killed in Iraq
• Dahr Jamail, Journalist, Author
• Mark Johnson, Fellowship of Reconciliation - Executive Director
• Cindy Sheehan, Founder of Peace of the Action

7:00 PM Memorial Closing (Memorial may extend into more days if permit allows)