18 years ago, the US invaded Iraq, leaving a trail of destruction, misery, and lives lost and forever changed. The subsequent war and occupation left an unknown number of Iraqis dead, some estimates placing the number of dead over one million, leaving many millions more with physical and mental health disabilities. Iraq’s infrastructure, cultural heritage, hospitals looted and destroyed. 1 in 25 Iraqis displaced from their homes. Over 5,000 members of coalition forces, contractors, and journalists lost their lives. How many more also suffer from physical and mental health disabilities?

We remember the Abbas family and their three beautiful children whose lives were violently ended by a US missile as they slept in their beds: Marwa, 11, Tabarek, 8, and Safia, 5. We remember Abraham Al Mafrage, 70, a farmer and father of seven, who was shot in the head by an American Blackwater guard on a public bus in Nisour Square. We remember Ihab Hamoodi, 32, who died alongside nine members of her family.

On March 20th, IARP will air a piano performance by Salam Murtada of Iraqi folk song Jimali Wali, composed and transcribed by Abdullah Al-Masri, dedicated to the lives lost and forever impacted by the US invasion, followed by a moment of silence. Following the performance, we invite you to light a candle in your home. We invite you to use this Facebook event to remember and honor together.