Dreams of Freedom in words and pictures

Inspirational words on human rights from great champions for freedom including the Dalai Lama and Aung San Suu Kyi – with beautiful pictures by illustrators from Oliver Jeffers to Chris Riddell and Ros Asquith, in association with Amnesty International

  • The Universal Declaration of Human Rights tells us “we all born free” but what does that really mean? This is beautifully explored in a new book called Dreams of Freedom, published in association with Amnesty International. You’ll notice the words and pictures in this gallery are by people from all over the world. The illustration for the front cover of the book (seen here) is by Oliver Jeffers, born in Australia, brought up in Northern Ireland and now living in America
    Freedoms cover

  • Words by Mikhail Bakunin, a Russian writer and anarchist born in 1814 (died 1876) who spent years in prison for his writing on Freedom and equality. Picture by Icelandic author and illustrator Birgitta Sif
    To be a child

  • Words by Aung San Suu Kyi who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her non-violet struggle for democracy and human rights in Burma, where she spent nearly 20 years under house arrest. Pictures by British illustrator Alexis Deacon, most famous for her book about a little lost alien, Beegu
    Freedom from fear

  • Words Armando Valladares, a Cuban artist who spent 22 years in prison for expressing his views. Picture by British illustrator, cartoonist and author Ros Asquith
    Unfairly treated

  • Words by Ali Ferzat, a Syrian political cartoonist whose work has earned him death threats. Picture by French illustrator Barroux
    Expression

  • Words by Chief Standing Bear, a Native American Ponca chief who died in 1908. He won a lawsuit against the US army for ejecting his people from their homelands. Picture by US illustrator R Gregory Christie
    Through equality

  • Words by the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, Buddhist monk and spiritual leader of Tibt. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his non-violent struggle for Tibet’s liberation from China. Picture by Australian Aboriginal author Sally Morgan
    Through peace

  • Words by Clare Balding, a leading broadcaster, presenter and writer. Picture by German illustrator Antje von Stemm
    to be yourself

  • Words by Nadia Anjuman, a poet and journalist in Afghanistan who was born in 1980 and died, aged just 25, in 2005. She was killed by her husband who beat her to death for shaming the family by writing poetry about the oppression of Afghan women. Illustration by British author and illustrator Jackie Morris
    Life and liberty

  • Words by Anne Frank, born in 1929 and one of over a million children killed in the Nazi Holocaust in 1945. While in hiding she wrote a diary that was discovered after her death, which has become one of the most famous diaries in the world: Diary of a Young Girl. Picture by Spanish writer and illustrator Javier Zabala
    to have your own ideas

  • This Chinese proverb inspired the founding of Amnesty International, and is the reason Amnesty use a candle as their logo. Picture by British illustrator, writer and political cartoonist for the Guardian and Observer (yes that’s us!) Chris Riddell. All the words and pictures in this gallery are from a beautiful book called Dreams of Freedom, published by Frances Lincoln in association with Amnesty International. Find out how to join or start your own Amnesty group here.
    To make a difference
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