Launching We Are All Born Free

Now this year is a little bit special for us at Amnesty International. Why? I hear you ask. Well, it’s the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (try saying that in a snappy way). And tonight sees the launch of the book We Are All Born Free, which is a celebration of the declaration (or UDHR as we call it). It will be taking place at Waterstone’s in Piccadilly, central London.The 30 articles of the UDHR, so nicely drafted by a commission chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt, the former US first lady, in the days after the Second World War and endorsed by the members of the newly formed United Nations, were to become the founding principles of Amnesty.They include the likes of the Right to Life; the Right for fair trials; the Right to not be tortured; the Right to education; and the Right to freedom of association.We Are All Born Free contains 30 illustrations from 30 different artists from around the world – one for each of the 30 articles of the UDHR. For a sneak preview, The Guardian’s got a nice gallery of some of the images online here.It’s aimed at children, but I reckon most people with half a conscience will love it.The reviews have been really good. Here’s the Times, The Scotsman, The Oxford Times, Wales Online and Brighton Magazine to pick a few.So onto the blatant plug – you can get your copy by logging onto our website here.The launch of the book is just the start for us. There’s loads more being planned as we build up to the official anniversary on 10 December. Schools are already being asked to dedicate the day to a whole series of events and plenty more will be announced in the days and weeks ahead. So watch this space!

Meanwhile, there was excellent news through late Friday afternoon: Troy Davis (subject of several previous posts) has again had a stay of execution and is out of immediate danger – for now. The mental toll this dicing with death must exact on a death row  prisoner though is pretty terrifying. Read Kate Allen talking about this on the Indy's Open House. Finally, if you can bear it (!), also check out Niluccio's first foray into video blog territory ("nilucciovideo"!). He's done a "Troy Davis midnight mix", a one-minute late-night reflection on the Troy Davis case, now up on YouTube. It comes complete with ("wicked", he tells me!) Studio One reggae beats. You have been warned!  Of course, all this news means that tonight's vigil outside the US Embassy is off.