Preparing the Ground for Change
Amnesty International UK Section Report 2012 PREPARING THE GROUND FOR CHANGE Amnesty International UK Section Report 2011 1 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 01 TAKING ACTION: CASES AND CAMPAIGNS 04 BUILDING SUPPORT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS 23 LEARNING ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS 30 FUNDRAISING 34 THE GLOBAL MOVEMENT 38 LOOKING AHEAD 40 UK MAP SHOWING AMNESTY ACTIVIST GROUPS Local groups Student groups Youth groups Amnesty International is a movement of ordinary people from across the world standing up for humanity and human rights. Our purpose is to protect individuals wherever justice, fairness, freedom and truth are denied. INTRODUCTION AN ANNIVERSARY TO REMEMBER AMNESTY AT 50 CELEBRATIONS WHERE IT ALL BEGAN The 50th birthday party on 28 May 2011 went back to Amnesty’s roots at St Martin-in-the-Fields church, Trafalgar Square, where our founder Peter Benenson first envisaged the movement. There were speeches, music, readings and a gigantic cake. The guestlist included former prisoners of conscience, members of the Benenson family, activists and supporters such as children’s author Michael Morpurgo and actors Tim McInnerny and Eva Birthistle. POSTER POWER The 50th anniversary provided a great excuse to delve into in © Reuben Steains Steains Reuben © St Martin-in-the-Fields, 28 May 2011, left to right: singer Reem Kelani, campaigner the Amnesty archives and pull and artist Dan Jones, ex-prisoner of conscience and human rights activist Maria out some hidden gems. We Gillespie, Kate Allen, author Michael Morpurgo, Amnesty secretary general Salil mounted a touring exhibition of 50 Shetty, actor Julian Rhind-Tutt, Manya Benenson, daughter of Amnesty’s founder posters showing first in London and Belfast, then other venues Amnesty’s 50th year was a memorable one.
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