Vancouver's StopWar.ca Coalition was honoured to have Noam Chomsky as our keynote speaker at our rally in March 2004 protesting the one-year anniversary of the invasion of Iraq.

Noam's participation in our event helped bring out a big crowd. At least 15,000 people listened attentively, as Noam spent half an hour outlining the machinations of empire. It was one small example of the invaluable work he has been doing for nearly half a century - articulating penetrating and honest dissent by exposing the crimes of U.S. foreign policy in Vietnam, East Timor, Haiti, Iraq, Afghanistan and beyond.

If more academics and intellectuals followed Chomsky's trailblazing commitment to activism and social justice, we would be living in a better world. As for the dangerous and troubled world we do live in, we need Chomsky's insights more than ever.

The members of our coalition wish Noam and his family all the best on his 80th birthday.