Joan Baez joins Amnesty International’s Small Places Tour

Joan Baez, legendary folk musician and lifelong human rights activist, has joined Amnesty International's Small Places Tour - the human rights organisation's latest international music project

Baez, whose 27-city European and US tour starts in Dublin tonight (and also includes forthcoming dates in Glasgow, Manchester and London), has joined a project that sees music as a means of engaging thousands of new human rights activists worldwide.

The American performer has a history of human rights activism that spans four decades and Joan Baez herself helped establish Amnesty International in San Francisco more than 35 years ago.

Amnesty International UK's Creative Relationship Manager Chloe Baird-Murray said:

"Amnesty is fortunate enough to be working with some of the world's most talented musicians and Joan's support is incredibly important to us.

"Joan Baez's music continues to be an inspiration to millions and it's absolutely fantastic that she's joined our 'Small Places Tour'.

"This year sees the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and we're taking its message of human rights for all out to music audiences around the world."

Baez joins the likes of U2, R.E.M., Peter Gabriel, Alanis Morissette, Gilberto Gil, Tracy Chapman, Sigur Ros and hundreds of other artists on Amnesty's tour.

The Small Places Tour takes its inspiration from a speech made by Eleanor Roosevelt - a key player in the creation of the UDHR in 1948 - where she called for "concerted citizen action" in "small places". The tour launched in London on 10 September at an event with U2's The Edge and Peter Gabriel. It is set to culminate on 10 December (international human rights day and 60th anniversary of the UDHR) with dozens of concerts worldwide.

www.joanbaez.com