A Tale of Two Cities: Olympia-Rafah Solidarity Mural Project
The world’s largest solidarity mural is nearing completion in Olympia, Washington, the home of activist Rachel Corrie. The 4000 square foot mural depicts a giant olive tree festooned with over 150 “talking” leaves, each one representing a solidarity organization, activist or community service project. Leaves have been contributed by Palestinian artists like Vera Tamari, Ziad Deeb and Sliman Mansour, and activist groups like Bi’lin Popular Committee and Zochrot from the US, Israel, Ireland and elsewhere. At the base of the olive tree the separation wall is flying apart under the force of a giant Hokusai-styled ocean wave. Olympia is the capital of the state of Washington and is located an hour south of Seattle.
Second and third phases of the project are planned to include a mural in Rafah and web-based ghost maps of the social justice histories of Olympia and Rafah – two cities joined by the death and life of solidarity activist Rachel Corrie.
The project honors Rachel’s vision of international solidarity and is co-sponsored by the Gaza Community Mental Health Program, the International Trauma Treatment Program, MECA/Middle East Children’s Alliance, The Rachel Corrie Foundation, and the Break the Silence Mural Project.
As the civil trial in the case of the death of Rachel Corrie continues in Haifa — in which Rachel Corrie’s family hopes to hold the Israeli government accountable for Rachel’s death in Rafah, Gaza — an audio component is being added for each of the giant olive tree’s leaves. You can listen to the leaves online or in person via cell phone. For more information go to www.olympiarafahmural.org.
