Hon Phil Goff Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade

2 August 2005

Amnesty International NZ turns 40

New Zealand shares Amnesty International’s vision of a world in which all people enjoy the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Foreign Minister Phil Goff said today.

“This week marks the 40th anniversary of Amnesty International’s first group being established in New Zealand, and I commend all those who have been involved in the organisation since then," Mr Goff said.

“New Zealand has long been active and principled in setting, defending and advancing international human rights standards, and Amnesty International enjoyed a rapid rise after holding its first meeting here in 1965.

"Within two years there were 13 Amnesty International groups around New Zealand, and it has continued to grow since then. Today, Amnesty International's New Zealand members are among 1.8 million supporters in over 150 countries.

“Amnesty International continues to play an important role in advancing human rights around the world. Their research exposes human rights abuses that would otherwise remain hidden, and their campaigning holds governments to human rights commitments that would otherwise be empty rhetoric,” Mr Goff said.

ENDS

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