ÖPIK APPLAUDS POWYS SCHOOLS' HUMAN RIGHTS CELEBRATIONS

2.34.00pm GMT Wed 26th Nov 2008

Liberal Democrat MP for Montgomeryshire, Lembit Öpik, welcomed news from Amnesty International today showing that every senior school in Powys is set to join in 'Our Rights Birthday' celebrations this year.

The celebrations are designed to mark the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which in the aftermath of the Second World War set out for the first time international rights and freedoms for citizens across the globe. The celebrations are supported by the Co-operative Bank as part of its Customers' Who Care 'Defending Human Rights' campaign in partnership with Amnesty.

The 60th anniversary itself falls on 10 December, but schools can take part in the birthday celebrations of 'Our Rights' anytime between now and the end of term.

Commenting, Lembit said:

"The triumph of the last 60 years is that, in countries like the UK, we almost take for granted our human rights. I'm really pleased that senior schools across Montgomeryshire have taken universal action to celebrate the privileges we enjoy under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, especially while there continues to be such cases of oppression across the world.

"The "Our Rights" campaign helps to show how we all benefit from this declaration and how relevant it remains even after 60 years. The response from these schools is testament to this. Unfortunately, there is an ever present danger of our rights being eroded by Government regulations. That's why we must also be guardians of our freedoms. In this sense, the pupils of Powys are our army of freedom fighters - we must always remember that our privileges were hard won but are easily lost."

Ends/diwedd

Notes to editor:

• For a full postcode breakdown please contact the Amnesty press office

• Schools can find out more by visiting www.amnesty.org.uk/our-rights or emailing education@amnesty.org.uk or calling 020 7033 1596

• Stills from Human Rights Are Our Rights are available for the Amnesty press office on request

• Amnesty International's vision is of a world in which every person enjoys all the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Amnesty has more than a quarter of a million members and supporters in the UK and over two million worldwide, and campaigns to abolish the death penalty and end torture, for the release of all prisoners of conscience, to control the arms trade and to stop violence against women

• The Co-operative Bank is the only UK high street bank with a clear Ethical Policy based on the views of its customers. The Policy sets out the businesses that the Bank will and will not provide banking services to on a wide range of issues such as human rights, the arms trade and animal welfare. Through the Customers Who Care initiative, the Bank campaigns on issues closely aligned to its Ethical Policy

• As a result of its Ethical Policy, the Bank has turned down business worth over £265 million that conflicted with its position on human rights. The Bank is supporting the film, the education pack and the UDHR passport to raise awareness of human rights in this significant year. Thousands of Bank customers have already pledged their support for the campaign, and have been taking part in actions for human rights via the Bank's campaign website: www.co-operativebank.co.uk/udhr

ENDS

Amnesty International UK media information:

Niall Couper: 020 7033 1549, niall.couper@amnesty.org.uk

Eulette Ewart: 020 7033 1552, eulette.ewart@amnesty.org.uk

Out of hours: 07721 398984, www.amnesty.org.uk

http://blogs.amnesty.org.uk/pressblog