More than 1,000 Missourians gathered in downtown Columbia on Sunday afternoon to mark the 5th anniversary of the US Invasion of Iraq. People converged on Courthouse Square from the North, South, East and West on March 16, 2008. Some had planned to attend, some were drawn by the crowd. As they arrived at Courthouse Square, attendees signed one of two banners that read "1,000 STRONG for PEACE; March 16, 2008; We, the undersigned, affirm our commitment to END THIS WAR." The event, sponsored by the Columbia Peace Coalition, was a huge success.

Area residents gathered from 1:30-2:00 p.m. to the music of recording artists Lizzie West and Baba Buffalo. The introductory music included crowd participation of tying yellow ribbons together and rolling them into a large ball as Lizzie West performed "19 Miles to Baghdad," a song which has been featured on Amy Goodman's "Democracy Now."

At 2:00 p.m., participants were greeted by event emcees Zach Rubin (recent graduate of the University of Missouri) and Shelley LaFata (staff member of The Peace Nook and current Mizzou student). Scheduled speakers for the rally were Rep. Judy Baker of Missouri's 25th Congressional District; Mary Ratliff-Missouri Conference NAACP President; and Dr. Shakir Hamoodi.

Rep. Baker was unable to attend the rally due to a family emergency. Her husband, Rev. John Baker, delivered her prepared remarks in which the Representative highlighted the importance of electing responsible representatives who are not afraid to stand up to the corporate powers that be in Washington and who are willing to advocate for the true interests of the American people. Recognizing that the solutions are not always simple, she called for an end to the Iraq war.

Ms. Ratliff followed by highlighting the impact of the Iraq war on social services and domestic programs. She said men and women in uniform deserve a hero's welcome and declared that it is time for them to come home. Ms. Ratliff emphasized the importance of taking care of our veterans once they return; highlighting the travesties of veteran care and calling for adequate funding of veteran programs. Noting that she was against the war before it started, she stated that it is now time to work to end the war so that no more undue suffering occur.

Violet Vonder Haar, student at Central Methodist University in Fayette and no stranger to the local music scene, performed two songs. Then, the crowd settled for a moment of silence to reflect on the loss of Iraqi and American life and the devastating impact this war has had on millions of Iraqis displaced and many millions of other humans who have also been impacted by the war.

Dr. Shakir Hamoodi concluded the speaking portion of the rally with a convincing call to every day action. He truly spoke on behalf of the Iraqis who the all-too-often overlooked victims of this tragic war. He reminded participants that silence often speaks louder than words and called on all attendees to increase daily action and take an active role in demanding to elected officials that this war must end.

Victoria Day prepared the participants for a March through downtown Columbia and introduced the street drum project, headed by Student for Progressive Action member, David Engelkenjohn. The 1,000+ attendees took to the street and marched through downtown Columbia to the beat of drums and to chants like "We are 1,000 Strong; We're here to say this war is wrong."

As the march concluded, participants were greeted at Peace Park on the University of Missouri Campus by the music of Steve Jacobs, Larry Brown and Carolyn Mathews. Participants joined in as the musicians sang songs including "Bring 'Em Home," "Imagine," and "Study War No More."

Mark Haim, Mid-Missouri Peaceworks Director, encouraged continued action and introduced final speaker, Lily Tinker Fortel.

Tinker Fortel read a poem titled "Somebody" and encouraged to feed off of the energy of the event as they move forward. Referencing John Lennon's famous phrase "War Is Over (if you want it), Tinker Fortel called on the crowd to "live the want" and encourage all in attendance to demand accurate representation of our elected officials--specifically emphasizing that the American people have a strong regard for humanity and a desire to end the illegal war in Iraq that is being overlooked in Washington D.C.

As participants left, they took yard signs and packets of flower seeds, which reminded participants that "Peaces is every day!" and encouraged recipients to "Nurture these seeds as you nurture your activism. Daily with intention and purpose!"