The faces of 25 humanitarians will be cemented in history during the installation ceremony of the largest bronze monument in the West in Oakland Monday, event organizers said.
The "Remember Them" statue, which weighs more than 40,000 pounds, will be unveiled at a noon groundbreaking ceremony at Henry J. Kaiser Memorial Park, located at the corner of 19th and Rashida Muhammad streets.
Inspirational leaders who changed the world, including Maya Angelou, Cesar Chavez, Harvey Milk, Nelson Mandela, Helen Keller and Mahatma Gandhi, are depicted in the artwork.
"Remember Them" uses life-sized bronze busts to pay tribute to the humanitarians. The monument, which is 25 feet tall and 52 feet wide, covers more than 1,000 square feet, organizers said.
Oakland artist Mario Chiodo started designing the project after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. It is intended to celebrate peace and diversity, organizers said.
The monument is the first grouping in the nation of international humanitarian portraits, according to event organizers.
The Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce Foundation sponsored the nonprofit project. Other major supporters include Kaiser Permanente, AT&T and Bank of America.