The teach-in organised by Iraq Occupation Focus on November 26 saw an impressive array of eyewitnesses bring testimony of the horrific results of US and British occupation of Iraq.
Two hundred people were not only able to listen to these moving and powerful accounts, but in both plenary and workshop sessions, to engage in discussion with the platform speakers and each other about key questions of analysis and tasks for the solidarity movement.
There were differences of opinion both amongst the panel and amongst participants but inest were exolored in a positive and comradely fashion and thus seen as debates that could strengthen our determination to end the military and corporate occupation of Irag rather than divide the movement.
I attended the workshop on women in Iraq, a topic which I feel has often been inadequately discussed within the anti-war movement.
My own preoccupation - why there has been little visible feminist organising in solidarity with Iraqi women fighting to end the occupation - was put to one side as I listened to three different Iraqi women exploring their analysis of womens' position in Iraq today and throughout recent history.
High points of the day included the contribution from US journalist Rahul Mahajan, Fallujah and the account from the representative of International Peace Angels about her work bringing medical supplies into the besieged city.
Ismael Dawood had come straight from Baghdad - and was only allowed into Britain from John McDonnell MP - and gave graphic testimony of the brutal human rights abuses
But these and other impressive contributions from Gilbert Achcar, Iraqi novelist Haifa Zangana and from Sami Ramadan were somewhat eclipsed by the power of the speech from the President of the Oil Employees Federation in Iraq, Hassan Juma'a.
Juma'a spoke of the oil workers struggle for workers' rights and the need for the Iraqi people to control the oil wealth of the country themselves.
He made clear that he and the union were completely committed to ending the occupation as a priority but also did not support acts of terrorism against civilians perpetrated by some insurgent groups.
Iraq Occupation Focus deserves to be congratulated for organising a very successful, inspiring andmotivating event. An anti-war movement that can put a million people on the streets of London has the capacity to organise a whole plethora of different initiatives. Teach-ins and other participative events are complimentary to not counterposed to rallies and public meetings.