February 15, 2005 Father of Fallen Marine to Speak at Boise State March 14

click on the image above to see the full size image of Fernando Suarez del Solar The Cultural Center will host a lecture by Fernando Suarez del Solar at 7 p.m. Monday, March 14, in the Student Union Hatch Ballroom A/B. Suarez del Solar’s talk, titled “A Son’s Tragic Death in Iraq, a Father’s Journey for Peace,” is free and the community is invited. The lecture will be in Spanish with English translation available.   Suarez del Solar is the father of Marine Lance Cpl. Jesus Suarez, one of the first U.S. servicemen killed in Iraq on March 27, 2003. Suarez del Solar discusses the U.S. occupation of Iraq and the lopsided representation of ethnic minorities on the frontlines. In December 2003, he traveled to Iraq with Global Exchange and a group of military families to listen to the needs and desires of the Iraqi people. While there, he delivered thousands of letters of peace and love from U.S. children for both Iraqi children and U.S. soldiers.   Upon returning home, he met with members of Congress, U.N. officials and the media to call for the withdrawal of U.S. troops. The following December he traveled to the Jordan/Iraq border with other parents whose sons had died in Iraq. He sees no contradiction between supporting the troops and being against the war. “My heart goes out to the soldiers, many of whom come from poor communities and joined the military as a way to get an education,” he said.   Sponsors include the Boise State University Cultural Center, School of Social Work and Department of Sociology, ALAS of Albertson College of Idaho, St. Mary’s Church, St. Mark’s Social Justice Committee, Catholic Charities, ICAN, Snake River Alliance, Interfaith Alliance of Idaho, OELA and the Idaho Peace Coalition.   -30-   Contact: Ro Parker, Boise State Cultural Center, (208) 426-4317, rparker1@boisestate.edu                                                               Media Contact: Kathleen Craven, University Relations, (208) 426-3275, kcraven@boisestate.edu