May 2011, supporters of Amnesty International throughout the world will be celebrating 50 years of Human Rights Action, on behalf of those who suffer injustice and abuse. Many official events are planned nationally and locally, and Amnesty has launched a series of historic posters for display, including designs by Picasso and Miro.AI Schweiz will be no exception, and a special event is planned for Saturday 14th May in the Paradeplatz Zurich.
The Zurich AI groups want to stage a really joyful action to celebrate all the work that ordinary Amnesty members have been doing since 1961. They are inviting everyone to join them for the day in the Paradeplatz, which they intend to rename – especially for the occasion – “Human Rights Square” !
To celebrate AI Schweiz as we all know it, there will be something for everybody. Placards will tell you details of the 30 Articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. You can find out about work on urgent actions and individual cases. Visitors can write a card, supporting our anniversary message, and learn about how Amnesty really does get results. Students from Zurich’s Art College are creating an installation depicting the reality of Human Rights, in a novel and entertaining way. And there will be plenty for the children to do. They can take part in a huge memory game about Human Rights – and get an AI balloon to play with.
This is an unmissable opportunity for all of Zurich to:
• Celebrate 50 years of Amnesty
• Learn more about what Amnesty does
• Find out about Amnesty’s success stories
• And have a lot of fun !
Sometimes it feels difficult to be light-hearted about Amnesty’s work. The reality is often depressing, shameful, frustrating. But Amnesty campaigns do work ! Prisoners are released and reunited with their families ; death sentences are repealed ; the “disappeared” are found again. There is a lot to celebrate and tell the world about. So come and join in the celebration on 14th May!
