What was your greatest moment?
Dear friend,
Amnesty International supporters have a great deal to be proud of. What was your greatest moment of 2009? Last year a remarkable man stood in front of a crowded room and said: "I want to tell the world how Amnesty International saved my life".
That man was Ratan Gazmere, a former political prisoner and death row inmate from Bhutan. After the unwavering efforts of Amnesty International supporters helped see Ratan released, he and his family spent 12 years in a Nepalese refugee camp before finally being resettled in Adelaide.
Hearing Ratan’s words was just one of many great moments last year that made me pause and reflect on how special it is to be involved in our work - work that would not be possible without you.
Because of you - and over 2.8 million people like you around the world - we can celebrate Ratan’s story and many other inspirational human rights achievements of the past year. And this makes me wonder: what was your greatest human rights moment of 2009? Click here to share it with us.
We've asked a handful of Amnesty International campaigners to share their greatest moments. For Apolosi Bose, it was the moment when Pacific leaders finally committed themselves to ending violence against women. For Graham Thom, it was the news that after years in a refugee camp, ten families would be arriving in Perth to make a new life for themselves. Maybe for you it was President Obama’s pledge to close Guantanamo Bay, or the release of Ma Khin Khin Le after 10 years in a Burmese prison.
Our campaigners' stories give me inspiration and remind me why I am so proud to come to work every day. Please take a minute to read them, and share your greatest moment of 2009
Last year was a huge year for human rights, but this doesn't mean 2010 will be easy. From elections in Burma to finally closing Guantanamo Bay, we know that the months ahead carry great challenges. But thanks entirely to your support we’re ready to meet them head on.
As Ratan told us all last November, the work we do saves lives. So, on behalf of Ratan and all the people you have helped in 2009, I would like to say thank you and I look forward to more great moments in 2010 and beyond.
Claire Mallinson
National Director
Amnesty International Australia
PS. Incredibly, as I write this, we are celebrating after hearing that Ricardo Ucán Ceca, a Mexican man detained for 10 years following an unfair trial, was released on 31 December. Is this your greatest moment? Please share it with us now.
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