Dear friend,

Fifty years ago, two Portuguese students were locked away simply for raising their glasses to freedom. When a lawyer in England saw their story, he started a campaign to free others like them. But what he started became much, much bigger - it became Amnesty International.

Amnesty has always been the story of ordinary people working together to achieve extraordinary change. That's why, as we celebrate a remarkable 50 years, we’ll do it together - by raising our glasses at mouth-watering Taste of Freedom dinners around the country and all over the world.

Will you join our anniversary celebrations on Saturday 28 May and raise your glass to freedom over a candlelit dinner?

It’s a piece of cake! Here’s two simple ways to get involved:

• Register online to host a dinner: Gather a few friends for pizza or organise a banquet fit for king - it’s up to you. You’ll get a host pack with recipes from top chefs like Adriano Zumbo and Christine Manfield, and other tasty ideas.

• Book a table at a participating restaurant: Not a Masterchef? Not a problem! Find a participating restaurant and book a table with friends. We’ve just launched and have restaurants signing up soon, but if your favourite eatery isn’t listed, we’ve also got handy tips you can use to get them on board.

Supporters like you are the heart of the Amnesty movement, and we know you’ll make incredible dinner hosts. Even if you can’t boil an egg or you’d prefer to do a breakfast instead - that’s fine with us. Because this is so much more than a dinner: it’s also an opportunity to ask your friends and loved ones to take action on behalf of someone behind bars.

In 1961, a person could be jailed for making a toast, and there was little the outside world could do. Today, there’s a 3-million strong movement championing the rights of those whose voices would otherwise be muted. There is so much to toast to - sign up to Taste of Freedom on 28 May.

To freedom!

Claire Mallinson
National Director
Amnesty International Australia