Celebrate 50 years of Amnesty International

Amnesty International turned 50 last weekend, thanks to everyone who joined us in the celebrations!

Fifty years ago an article from English laywer Peter Benenson in the Observer newspaper sparked a campaign on behalf of the Forgotten Prisoners, the 'Amnesty appeal'.

From that small beginning the world's largest human rights organisation has grown, with more than 3.2 million supporters in 150 countries around the world.

Peter Benenson wrote that article because he was outraged about two Portuguese students who had been arrested for raising a toast to freedom in a Lisbon café while the country was still under a dictatorship.

To celebrate 50 years of working for human rights we held our own Toast to Freedom on Saturday, along with Amnesty International members holding similar events in 62 other countries, at 6pm in Dublin's Temple Bar Square and at 1pm in Galway's Eyre Square.

Meet some of Amnesty International Ireland's members who are working to make that a reality:

Slane Castle

Later on Saturday evening, we celebrated our birthday at Slane Castle with the Kings of Leon and a top musical line-up. Thanks to eveyone at Slane, who stopped by the Amnesty International tent.