Amnesty International 50th Anniversary

Amnesty International will celebrate its 50th anniversary on May 28th, the Hong Kong Section is therefore holding an art exhibition “Light Up─ Amnesty International 50th Anniversary” for kicking off the special day.
Amnesty International was found in a social movement 50 years ago. Peter Benenson, a British labour lawyer, called for a letter campaign to release two Portuguese students who toasted to freedom in a restaurant, when Portugal was under an autocracy at that time.

Guests Show Concern over Human Rights in HK and China
Amnesty International Hong Kong (AIHK) has invited Legislative Council member Ms Audrey Eu, Mr. Lee Cheuk-yan and Mr. Ching Cheong, the well-known journalist, Mr. Michael Leung from HK Honey together with Ms Armin Kalyanram, Chairperson of AIHK to “toast to freedom and human rights” and “Light up the human rights candle”. Five honorable guests expressed their concerns freedom of expression has been restricted and the unjust economic development in Hong Kong and the recent crackdown on dissents in China. They stressed the importance of social justice, live with dignity and freedom of expression.

Human Rights Art Exhibition
AIHK’s first time to hold a human rights art exhibition《Light Up─ Amnesty International 50th Anniversary》. 50 artists and celebrities have been invited to create a beewax candle, on the topic of “Demand Dignity”, which donated by HK Honey. 50 candles symbolize 50th anniversary of Amnesty International for lighting up the universal human rights and hopes. Candles’ topics are various from freedom of expression and freedom of art to support Ai Weiwei and gender equality. All the candles will be sold for charity at the price of HKD500. All the income will be gone into the AIHK Human Rights Education Fund. The exhibition will be held from May 28th to June 11st at Rat’s Cave and Haji Gallery, Tai Pang Shan Street, Sheung Wan.

Focus on Human Rights
Amnesty International Hong Kong established in 1982 and advocating human rights is worked as the mission of the organization

• Protecting People on the Move namely, refugees, asylum seekers and labour migrants: From June 20th to 22nd at the HK Central Librarly, AIHK is going to vividly present “Rohingya people”, which are called to be one of the most oppressed ethnic groups in the world, who have been trapped between Burma-Bangladesh border for over 30 years and still not recognized as one of the country’s national races, through a set of photos which are taken by Mr. Greg Constantine, 2011 Amnesty International Human Rights Awards (Hong Kong) Feature Photography Prize winner.
• Free all prisoners of conscience: Amnesty International focuses on releasing prisoners of conscience, who got detained because of their races, skin colors, religious belief and sexual orientation, from all around the world. AIHK actively promote human rights in HK through lobbying, letter campaigns, public education and urgent action. AIHK will also carry out campaigns on June 4th and July 1st on the topic of “Freedom of Expression”.
• Democracy in Burma: Human rights in Burma works as a regional focus in the Asia Pacific. We urge the Burma government to release all the prisoners of conscience and stop suppressing freedom of expression. AIHK will hold an activity in memory of the 23rd anniversary of 8888 uprising.  
• World Abolishing Death Penalty Campaign: China has the highest execution rate and neighbor regions such as Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, North Korea, Vietnam and Laos are also practicing death penalty. AIHK is therefore working hard on urging more countries to abolish death penalty.
• The only Human Rights magazine in HK: “Human Rights” is the only human rights magazine in HK, which has just published in May and its main theme is Death Penalty. Ask the AIHK office for a free copy!
• Human Rights Education: Human Rights Education is one of the AIHK’s core works. AIHK provides talks and educational material for local high schools and tertiary colleges.