Sir,

Amnesty International was founded by a man who believed in the power of ordinary people to bring about extraordinary change.

In 1961, Peter Benenson, a British lawyer, read about two Portuguese students who had been sentenced to seven years in prison for raising their glasses in a "toast to freedom".

He wrote a newspaper appeal, 'The Forgotten Prisoners', published in the Observer on 28th May 1961, calling for the release of men and women imprisoned for their political or religious beliefs.

From the huge and rapid response, Amnesty International was born.

Today, 50 years later, the sense of outrage at injustice across the world continues to move Amnesty's millions of members to take action, write letters and speak out.

Amnesty's famous logo – a candle surrounded by barbed wire – was inspired by the saying "it is better to light a candle, than to curse the darkness."

As Amnesty Monmouth and District Group celebrates 50 years, we would like to invite other local people to join us.

On Saturday 28th May at 3pm, the Monmouth and District Amnesty group will be celebrating with a toast to freedom, echoing the toast which started the organisation, at Chippenham Mead, Monmouth, at the 'Amnesty tree'.

Here we will have an AmnesTea birthday party, but will not be blowing out the candle.

Marian Fretter

(Amnesty International, Monmouth and District Group)