AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL WEB TEXT

Date: 12 July 2007

AI Index: ACT 30/009/2007

Make Some Noise!

e-Magazine - Issue 13

The Make Some Noise album is out!

After intense nail biting, cold sweats and unbearable suspense, the wait is finally over: the Make Some Noise album is out! Music fans will be the first to welcome the news. From the Morten Harket groupies who virtually picketed Make Some Noise enquiring weekly about a-ha's cover of "#9 Dream", to the Avril Lavigne fans who wanted to buy "Imagine" before the singer even stepped into the studio, all can now get their hands on the object of their desire. The Make Some Noise album is available on iTunes and the CD can be purchased in all good record stores.

The release of the album supports Amnesty International’s campaign to stop human rights violations in Darfur in western Sudan, where over 200,000 people have been killed and at least two million people forced to flee their homes. Amnesty International is calling on the Sudanese government to halt attacks on civilians, disarm a regional militia (the Janjawid), respect a UN arms embargo and bring all human rights violators to justice, including by cooperating with the International Criminal Court at The Hague.

For more information on Darfur and to sign the petition, check out the dedicated area on the Make Some Noise site. We will be sending you shortly a "Darfur Special" alert, to give you the full low-down on how you can help make a difference in the region.

From a musical point of view, the album is a real feast: over 30 world-class artists donated their time and talent to the Make Some Noise campaign and made their favourite John Lennon track their own. Classics such as "Imagine" and "Instant Karma" were popular choices, giving fans the occasion to battle out and defend "their" star: "Imagine", Avril Lavigne or Jack Johnson? "Instant Karma", U2 or Duran Duran? The album is also the occasion to discover or rediscover more obscure Lennon tracks: check out the electro-punk version of "One day at a time" by the Raveonettes, or the beautifully stripped version of "Real Love" by Regina Spektor.

So enjoy the music, share it with friends. But also share the hope these musicians and all of us at Amnesty International have: that music inspires the world to make a difference in Darfur and everywhere human rights are violated.

Buy the album now!

Update on the 10,000 paper crane appeal for Belarus

Last Spring Make Some Noise launched an appeal to send 10,000 origami cranes to the Belarus Minister of Internal Affairs, demanding freedom of expression and the release of prisoner of conscience Zmitser Dashkevich. From Berlin to Montreal (can you spot the Make Some Noise band who sent us their picture?), over 5,000 cranes have already made their way to Minsk. We've asked you to take a picture of your crane(s) before putting it/them in an envelope: you didn't let us down, once again the creativity and hard work on display is breathtaking! Collective efforts like the giant Amnesty candle (500 cranes, who will beat the record?), or cute individual initiatives (check this one out), each contribution is making a difference.

Zmitser Dashkevich, whose detention has come to symbolise the lack of freedom of expression in Belarus, is now aware of the action. Some cranes apparently made their way to the prison, where guards are spending time unfolding them for security reasons! Zmitser has thanked everyone for the support, which he says is very important to him. Since the Make Some Noise campaign started, five members of Zmitser's youth opposition movement who were awaiting trial received much milder sentences than Zmitser and were only fined. We need to keep up the pressure.

Zmitser will be 26 on July 20th. Give him the best birthday present possible: send a crane to the Belarus government and demand freedom of expression for Belarus now!

Take part now!

Make Some Noise artists: A to Z

From a-ha to Youssou'n'Dour, find out more about the artists who donated their time and talent to the Make Some Noise campaign.

Get your own Make Some Noise player!

Amnesty has partnered with Goodstorm to give you this neat little application: a Make Some Noise Player to listen to all the album tracks and sign the petition! Want to embed it on your page or profile? Simply copy and paste!

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