On September 27 Ambassador Maris Riekstins participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for the Victims of Communism Memorial in Washington, DC. The Memorial project envisions a square with a statue in the center symbolizing democracy. A plaque explaining the historic background will also be part of the Memorial. The location is on Capitol Hill, at the intersection of Massachusetts Ave., N.W., New Jersey Ave., N.W., and G Street, N.W. The statue is expected to cost approximately $700,000. The Government of Latvia has donated $1500 to the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation; this amount was presented to Chairman Lee Edwards by Ambassador Riekstins on July 6, 2006. Members of Congress, the diplomatic corps, as well as ethnic leaders and supporters of the Memorial attended the ceremony. Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs Paula J. Dobriansky was the featured speaker. Founded in 1994, the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation is authorized to design, build, and maintain an international memorial to the more than one hundred million victims of communism. The non-profit educational Foundation has also begun creating a Global Virtual Museum that will serve as a link to the many institutions around the world concerned with the victims and crimes of communism. The Foundation’s honorary chairman is President Bush. Former President of Latvia Guntis Ulmanis is among the many supporters of this project.