This autumn Amnesty International joins forces with leading actors and world-renowned illustrators to bring to life the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) for a new generation of young children. A new book, a short animated/live action film and an exhibition form part of a series of celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of the UDHR, which set out for the first time the human rights and fundamental freedoms to which everyone is entitled without discrimination.
Adopted by the United Nations on December 10, 1948, the UDHR has 30 Articles, each enshrining a particular right -- including the right to life, liberty, security, freedom of opinion and expression and the right not to be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.
Actors Julian Rhind-Tutt, Emilia Fox, Jeremy Irons, Lindsay Duncan and radio presenter George Lamb are the stars behind EVERYBODY, a short film which has been specially written and produced to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the UDHR.
From October 31 on, 150 theaters around the country will be screening the three-minute film, which has been funded by The Co-operative Bank's "Customers Who Care" scheme, as part of a year-long campaign partnership with Amnesty International. Distributed through Pearl and Dean, EVERYBODY will be shown to thousands of children in selected theaters throughout the U.K. as a trailer to HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3, as well as other selected films.
EVERYBODY, which is part animated, part live action, is based on five illustrations from the children's picture book, WE ARE ALL BORN FREE, published this month by Frances Lincoln Children's Books. Julian Rhind-Tutt, best known for his starring role as Dr. "Mac" MacCartney in television comedy television series, GREEN WING, plays the lead character in Everybody. The voiceovers to accompany the animation are provided by Emilia Fox, Jeremy Irons, Lindsay Duncan, Navin Chowdry, Jason Flemyng and George Lamb who have generously given their time to support the project.
WE ARE ALL BORN FREE, with forewords by David Tennant and John Boyne, features the work of internationally acclaimed artists and illustrators, including John Burningham, Korky Paul, Polly Dunbar, Satoshi Kitamura, Jane Ray and Axel Scheffler. Each artist offers a personal interpretation of one of the 30 Articles of the UDHR, making them easy to understand and accessible to young readers and their families. The title of the book is taken from Article 1: "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights."
The artwork from WE ARE ALL BORN FREE will be in display at the 5th View Bar at Waterstone's Piccadilly in London from Monday, October 20 to Friday, October 31.
EVERYBODY, which will also be available to view online and be shown in schools in the lead up to December 10, was animated by Sweet World Productions, who won a Best Animation Award for their part in Amnesty International's SECRET POLICEMAN'S BALL 2006.
Kate Allen, Director of Amnesty International U.K. commented, "It is 60 years since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights came into being, yet the world of 2008 needs these fundamental rights just as much as the world of 1948. These projects have put the importance of these rights into sharp focus with a series of excellent drawings from some of the world's most famous illustrators."
The Co-operative Bank has funded the production of the film as well as the cinema advertising as part of its 'Defending Human Rights' campaign in partnership with Amnesty International.
WE ARE ALL BORN FREE is part of Amnesty's on-going publishing programme to engage children and adults in the fundamental values of the UDHR. Further titles will be announced in early 2009.
Information: www.protectthehuman.com.
