AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

NOTE TO EDITORS

AI Index: ACT 30/027/2008

Date: 1^st December 2008

60^th Anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights

10 December 2008

Amnesty International is leading a global campaign to mark the 60^th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) on 10December 2008.

The campaign celebrates the achievements of the last 60 years while placing a spotlight on the human rights challenges of 2008, where injustice, inequality and impunity are hallmarks of the world today. The organization will use the anniversary to ask what still needs to be done to make the promise of universal, indivisible human rights a reality for all.

The Secretary General of Amnesty International, Irene Khan, is one of the leading voices in human rights in the world today and is available for comment or interview in the run up to the 60th anniversary - and on the day itself.

Irene Khan joined Amnesty International as Secretary General in August 2001. The first woman, first Asian and first Muslim to head the world's largest human rights organization, she has led AI through developments in the wake of September 11, confronting the backlash against human rights; broadening the work of the organization in areas of economic, social and cultural rights; and bringing a strong focus to the issue of women's human rights and violence against women. Prior to joining AI she served in various positions with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. She is a recipient of the Pilkington "Women of the Year" award (2002), the John Owens Distinguished Alumni award (University of Manchester - 2003) and the City of Sydney Peace Prize (2006). She is a graduate of Harvard Law School and the University of Manchester, and has been awarded honorary doctorates by Ferris University (Japan), Staffordshire University (UK), Ghent University (Belgium), the University of London, the University of Manchester and the University of Beirut. She has been voted one of the 100 Most Influential Asians in the UK.

Please call Carina Trimingham on +44 20 7413 5871 or email: carina.trimingham@amnesty.org. For out of office hours, please call the press officer on duty on: +44 777 847 2126.