By News and Internal Communications

UPDATE (4/20/23): The Wall That Heals will be on display on the grounds of the at Ebony Hills Golf Course in Edinburg, 300 W. Palm Drive, not on the grounds of the Community Engagement and Student Success (CESS) Building, a UTRGV off-campus facility.

RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS – A 375-foot-long replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall will be on display at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on April 20-23, 2023.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) recently chose UTRGV as a stop on the 2023 national The Wall that Heals tour that includes the replica wall and a mobile Education Center exhibit that tells the story of the Vietnam War, The Wall and the era surrounding the conflict. The free exhibit is designed to put American experiences in Vietnam in a historical and cultural context.

“The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is honored to have been selected to host this very special exhibit in partnership with the City of Edinburg,” said Dr. Jeffrey Ward, dean of the UTRGV College of Fine Arts, which is presenting the exhibit. “At UTRGV, we honor our service members and veterans, including those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.”

The Wall That Heals, a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, will be on display on the grounds of the Community Engagement and Student Success (CESS) Building, a UTRGV off-campus facility located at 1407 E. Freddy Gonzalez Drive. The Wall and exhibit will be open 24 hours a day to the public.

The Wall honors the more than 3 million Americans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during the Vietnam War and bears the names of the 58,281 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam.

Visitors will experience The Wall rising above them as they walk toward the apex, a key feature of the design of The Wall in Washington, D.C. In addition, visitors to the exhibit will be able to do name rubbings of individual service member’s names on The Wall.

“The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund is pleased to bring The Wall That Heals mobile exhibit to Edinburg, to allow local veterans and their family members a chance to experience The Wall,” said Jim Knotts, president and CEO of VVMF. “Hosting The Wall That Heals provides an opportunity to honor and remember all those who served and sacrificed in the Vietnam War and educate visitors on the continuing impact of the Vietnam War on America.”

The exhibit will also feature a photo display dedicated to “Hometown Heroes” – service members whose names are on The Wall who list their home of record within the area of a visit.

The digital photo displays of Vietnam veterans from the local area are honored through VVMF’s In Memory program, which honors veterans who returned home from Vietnam and later died.

In addition, the exhibit will feature video displays that teach about the history and impact of The Wall; educational exhibits told through items representative of those left at The Wall in Washington, D.C.; a replica of the In Memory plaque; a map of Vietnam, and a chronological overview of the Vietnam War.

"We are honored to have the opportunity to host the Wall That Heals in our city. Edinburg is known as the ‘Hometown of Heroes,’ and it’s important we pay homage to not only our local heroes but also the thousands of men and women whose service and sacrifice have allowed us to enjoy the freedoms we have today,” said Edinburg Mayor Ramiro Garza Jr.

The 2023 national Wall That Heals tour is sponsored by USAA. Through a partnership with the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA), the trucking industry, and Blue Beacon, the exhibit can travel across the country. Local sponsors are UTRGV and the City of Edinburg.

Since its debut in 1996, the exhibit has been on display in more than 700 U.S. communities, in addition to an April 1999 tour of the Four Provinces of Ireland and a visit to Canada in 2005.

The Wall That Heals is a program of VVMF, the nonprofit organization that built the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., in 1982. The Wall That Heals is the only traveling exhibit affiliated with The Wall in Washington, D.C., and includes the largest Wall replica that travels the country. Two VVMF staff members lead volunteers on site, educate visitors and students, and ensure the reflective atmosphere of The Wall.

More information The Wall exhibit can be found at: www.thewallthatheals.org.

For questions about the exhibit or to volunteer during the four-day event, contact Dr. Dahlia Guerra, UTRGV assistant vice president for Public Art & Special Projects, via email at dahlia.guerra@utrgv.edu or call 956-665-2353.

 

About VVMF

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) is the nonprofit organization that built the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (The Wall) in Washington, D.C. in 1982. VVMF continues to lead the way in paying tribute to our nation’s Vietnam veterans and their families. VVMF’s mission is to honor and preserve the legacy of service in America and educate all generations about the impact of the Vietnam War and era through programs, ceremonies and education materials. To learn more about VVMF, visit https://www.vvmf.org/ or call 202-393-0090.