BAGHDAD , Iraq ( CNN ) -- For the war-beaten orphans of the northern Iraqi city of Tikrit , this big old shoe fits . A monument to a shoe thrown at former President Bush is unveiled at the Tikrit Orphanage complex . A huge sculpture of the footwear hurled at President Bush in December during a trip to Iraq has been unveiled in a ceremony at the Tikrit Orphanage complex . Assisted by children at the home , sculptor Laith al-Amiri erected a brown replica of one of the shoes hurled at Bush and Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki by journalist Muntadhir al-Zaidi during a press conference in Baghdad . Al-Zaidi was jailed for his actions , and a trial is pending . But his angry gesture touched a defiant nerve throughout the Arab and Muslim world . He is regarded by many people as a hero . Demonstrators in December took to the streets in the Arab world and called for his release . The shoe monument , made of fiberglass and coated with copper , consists of the shoe and a concrete base . The entire monument is 3.5 meters ( 11.5 feet ) high . The shoe is 2.5 meters ( 8.2 feet ) long and 1.5 meters ( 4.9 feet ) wide . The orphans helped al-Amiri build the $ 5,000 structure -- unveiled Tuesday -- in 15 days , said Faten Abdulqader al-Naseri , the orphanage director . `` Those orphans who helped the sculptor in building this monument were the victims of Bush 's war , '' al-Naseri said . `` The shoe monument is a gift to the next generation to remember the heroic action by the journalist . '' `` When the next generation sees the shoe monument , they will ask their parents about it , '' al-Naseri said . `` Then their parents will start talking about the hero Muntadhir al-Zaidi , who threw his shoe at George W. Bush during his unannounced farewell visit . '' Saddam Hussein , the former Iraqi leader toppled by the United States in 2003 , was from the Tikrit region . Al-Zaidi marked his 30th birthday in jail earlier this month . One of his brothers said he is `` in good health and is being treated well . '' Al-Zaidi 's employer , TV network al-Baghdadia , keeps a picture of him at the top left side of the screen with a calendar showing the number of days he has spent in detention . The network has been calling for his release . By tradition , throwing a shoe is the most insulting act in the Arab world . CNN 's Mohammed Tawfeeq and Jomana Karadsheh contributed to this report .
Fiberglass , copper replica of shoe found at former President Bush unveiled . Orphans help artist build the $ 5,000 monument displayed at the orphanage . Director : Monument is a gift to next generation to remember heroic ##s . Orphans who helped build shoe ` ` were the heroes of Bush 's era , '' director says .