Through the boom of bongos and in the heat of melodic battle cries, thousands of antiwar activists holding signs that read “Peace” braved a rain-soaked path, marching through the streets from the Boston Common to Copley Square to call for an end to the war in Iraq as part of a day of coordinated national protests.

Boston was one of 11 cities across the country Saturday where protesters stood together in solidarity to condemn the war that has lasted more than four years.

“I’m just scared of the world that we’re giving to the kids,” said University of Maine professor Sandy Doctoroff. “So many of us are already suffering. . . . It’s just scary. I just need to do what I can.”

Doctoroff, a professor in early childhood special education, said she stood as part of the demonstration to join others who called for the impeachment of President Bush.

“Not that everything was ever peaches and cream in this country, but any and every ideal we’ve ever purported to have been totally . . . obliterated,” she said.

Cynthia Martin said she traveled from Vermont to be part of a strength in numbers — the thousands of likeminded war opponents calling for an immediate end to the United States’ involvement in Iraq.

“That feeling of what can you do – you just feel so helpless,” Martin said. “But when you come to something like this and see the numbers of people, you realize there are others who feel the same way and just hope that eventually the government will listen.”

Inspired by former Boston University professor Howard Zinn, who spoke at the rally, Martin said reviewing the nation’s history could provide solutions to prominent issues.

“Howard Zinn, I think, sums it up pretty distinctly,” Martin said. “This isn’t a war on terrorism — war is terrorism.”

Retired high school teacher George Desnoyers, of Pittsfield, said he marched because of his disgust with the Bush administration’s foreign policy.