The Vietnam Veterans Memorial was initially conceived with one overriding purpose — to bring long overdue honor and recognition to the men and women who served and sacrificed their lives in Vietnam. Because so many veterans met with ridicule and contempt upon returning home, it was hoped that the Memorial would be a place where that injustice could at long last be rectified. And, in great measure, it has been. Healings, restorations and reunions have all occurred there. The Wall has long spoken a silent but eloquent message for those who participated in the war as well as for all those whose lives were impacted by it.
Today, the Memorial has transcended its role as a national symbol of reconciliation and stands as a living history lesson. The Memorial is unique in its ability to inspire exploration and reflection about this critical time in our nation’s past, with a wiser eye toward the future. The more than 80,000 items that have been left at The Wall by visitors since its dedication in 1982 also offer a compelling picture of the Memorial’s impact on society.
As the founders of The Wall, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund works to preserve the legacy of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, to promote healing and to educate about the impact of the Vietnam War.
On Veterans Day 1996, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund unveiled a half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., designed to travel to communities throughout the United States.
“Bringing The Wall Home” to communities throughout our country allows the souls enshrined on the Memorial to exist, once more, among family and friends in the peace and comfort of familiar surroundings. The traveling exhibit, known as The Wall That Heals, allows the many thousands of veterans who have been unable to cope with the prospect of “facing The Wall” to find the strength and courage to do so within their own communities, thus allowing the healing process to begin.
The Wall That Heals also features a Traveling Museum and Information Center providing a comprehensive educational component to enrich and complete visitors’ experiences. The Museum chronicles the Vietnam War era and the unique healing power of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, while the Information Center serves as a venue for people to learn about friends and loved ones lost in the war.
Since its dedication, The Wall That Heals has visited more than 300 cities and towns throughout the nation, spreading the Memorial’s healing legacy to millions. In addition to its U.S. tour stops, the exhibition made its first-ever international journey in April 1999 to the Four Provinces of Ireland to honor the Irish-born casualties of the Vietnam War and the Irish-Americans who served. It has also traveled to Canada.
For more information or to learn how to bring The Wall That Heals to your community, please contact the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund at (202) 393-0090 or via email at vvmf@vvmf.org.
