OLYMPIA, Washington - March 3 - The Iraq Memorial to Life project is designed to honor Iraqi civilians who have been killed in the war on Iraq and to express aspirations for peace and reconciliation within the global community. Thousands of memorial markers will be displayed in Olympia, WA on Friday, March 20 and Saturday, March 21, at Heritage Park, corner of 5th and Water Streets. Opening ceremonies begin at 1:00 p.m. and the memorial will be open through the night and the next day with a closing ceremony at 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 21.  

The public is invited to help install the Memorial beginning at 8 a.m. on Friday, March 20.  

People from all over the local and global community will personally make thousands of markers that will be assembled to create the Memorial. The Iraq Memorial to Life, once assembled, will be a silent presence that mourns the Iraqi losses and addresses the need for healing within ourselves and our communities.  

For more information on how to participate in making markers, to donate to the project or volunteer to assemble the memorial, see www.IraqMemorialtoLife.org. All individuals, local community organizers, and faith communities are invited to participate. 

Three goals will be addressed through building the Memorial:

* To bring awareness to the American people that over one million civilians have died since March 2003.

* To engage Americans in grieving these losses and initiate the process of seeking further information. A collection of articles and photographs is available at our website.

* To encourage support  of non-profit organizations which provide reparations to Iraqi refugees. Both policy and effective reparations programs are linked to our site. 

Help us remember that, as the Iraq War continues, innocents continue to die in the Middle East. We mourn the losses sustained by all parties and offer this place to gather, to listen, and to reflect.