WASHINGTON - March 19 - On the anniversary of seven years of war in Iraq, CODEPINK women in Washington, D.C. and across America will honor this tragic anniversary with a march in the nation's capitol and a special "Women Say No To War: Building Peace in War Zones Around the World" event with award-winning author of the Vagina Monologues Eve Ensler, award-winning journalist Amy Goodman, Immigration activist Pramila Jayapal, Congresswoman Donna Edwards and more at Busboys & Poets, owned by Iraqi-American, DC entrepreneur Andy Shallal. CODEPINK women will join the many demonstrations occurring across the country, connecting the failing U.S. economy with continued military spending and the largest Pentagon budget in history.

WHAT: CODEPINK Women for Peace march on the 7th anniversary of the Iraq War followed by an evening celebrating women peacemakers Eve Ensler, Amy Goodman and more. The march in DC is in conjunction with events nationwide organized around the 7th anniversary of the Iraq invasion, additionally calling for an end to the occupation of Afghanistan.

WHEN: March 20, march starts 12pm and "Women Say No To War: Building Peace in War Zones Around the World" event starts at 7pm (event is free and open to the community)

WHERE: March & Rally--CODEPINK to gather at St. Johns Church on H & 16th Sts NW, Evening Event--Busboys & Poets 1025 5th NW (@ K St NW)

"As the hope of a new administration leading us towards peace has faded, it is clear that only way we will bring our troops home is to organize the silent majority opposed to the needless wars in Iraq and Afghanistan", states Medea Benjamin cofounder of Global Exchange and CODEPINK. "On the 7th anniversary of the Iraq war, we are determined to bring the voices of Main Street to the halls of power to say: Stop funding the warfare state and redirect our resources to life-affirming activities".

March 20th marks six years of war in Iraq, over 8 years of war in Afghanistan, thousands of troops dead, between 100,000 and 1million Iraqi and Afghan civilians dead. At home Americans are suffering from joblessness while being asked by the Obama Administration to endure a domestic spending freeze and the largest Pentagon spending budget to date. With these anniversary actions, communities are demanding an end to a war-torn economy and a refocus on our economic and social priorities here at home.

From Daytona Beach, FL to Troy, MI, cities across the country activists and concerned citizens will rally and march on Saturday, March 20, in opposition to the ongoing occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan and calling for soldiers and desperately needed funds to return to the US.  Mass marches are planned in DC, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Chicago.  For a full listing of actions please see www.codepinkalert.org/calendar and http://pjep.org/announcements/?id=961.  Founded in the lead up to the Iraq War in 2003, CODEPINK Women for Peace has become a vibrant, creative voice in the peace movement, an outlet especially for women in the United States and worldwide.

CODEPINK Cofounders Medea Benjamin and Jodie Evans are available for interview/comment. Please contact Dana Balicki for more info--(202) 422-8624, Dana@codepinkalert.org