Old school friends Sir Paul McCartney and respected international journalist Jonathan Power were reunited at their old school in Liverpool today to mark Amnesty International's 40th anniversary.

Jonathan Power's highly-regarded book 'Like Water On Stone - the Story of Amnesty International' (Allen Lane) is his independent assessment of the history of the world's largest voluntary human rights organisation.

Paul and Jonathan were reunited at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, formerly the Liverpool Institute High School for Boys, where they cut a birthday cake for Amnesty International and made a toast to freedom with Portuguese wine.

British lawyer Peter Benenson launched Amnesty International in 1961 after reading of two Portuguese students jailed simply for making a toast to freedom.

Photo Jan Oberg, © TFF 2001

Eye contact, with Jonathan's wife and opera singer,
Jean-Christine Eklund, in the middle

 

Paul and Jonathan were in the same class in the middle to late 1950s. George Harrison was in the year below.

Jonathan Power said:

"It was wonderful for Paul and I to meet up again at our old school and fitting that the occasion was to mark Amnesty International's birthday.

"Amnesty's letter-writing campaigns for freedom and justice have been tremendously successful since its birth in 1961, the year that The Beatles played their first gig at the Cavern. In a way Paul and I were marking 40 years of righting wrongs and 40 years of writing songs."

He added:

"Paul was head boy of my class and was put in charge of looking after me when I arrived at the school just before our 0 level examinations. I have fond memories of playing cricket together every lunchtime in the schoolyard, and of becoming interested in international affairs as Paul played his guitar in the next room."

People can join Amnesty International by visiting http://www.joinamnestynow.com

Photo Jan Oberg, © TFF 2001

"Like Water on Stone - The Story of Amnesty International"

1. 'Like Water On Stone - the Story of Amnesty International' by Jonathan Power (published by Allen Lane/Penguin) is available for £ 12.99 softcover, 331 pages.

2. Future publication dates for 'Like Water On Stone' include the USA on September 5 2001; in Chinese on October 4 2001; and Spain on October 24 2001.

Photo Jan Oberg, © TFF 2001

The Cavern Club today. This is where it all started 40 years ago...

Photo Jan Oberg, © TFF 2001

The Beatles Museum - "Beatles Story" - in Liverpool

© TFF & the author 2001