Footballs Distributed in Ramadi, Karbala and Hillah

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 21, 2004 CONTACT Hilary F. White hilary.white@cpa-iq.org 703-343-9631 Michael A. Leach michael.leach@CPA-IQ.ORG SOCCER BALLS GIVEN OUT IN RAMADI, KARBALA, AND HILLA Hilla, Babil Province, Iraq. The Coalition Provisional Authority has recently given out hundreds of soccer balls to Iraqi children in Ramadi, Karbala, and Hilla. Iraqi women from Hilla sewed the soccer balls, which are emblazoned with the phrase All of Us Participate in a New Iraq. A few weeks ago, the Coalition provided more than 950 soccer balls in support of the national holiday honoring the birthday of The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The Democratic Iraqi Gathering, an Iraqi organization that promotes democracy initiatives in south central Iraq, distributed the soccer balls to children, schools, and sports clubs. The soccer ball project relied on Iraqi men and women, as well as the Democratic Iraqi Gathering, to create and distribute the soccer balls to more than 1,000 children. Iraqis remain determined to improve their communities as they move toward a democratic and sovereign country.