The prominent philanthropist is the first Australian to join Amnesty’s council of leaders from the arts, business and philanthropic world.
Amnesty International is pleased to announce that philanthropist and arts patron Judith Neilson, AM will join the organisation’s prestigious Global Council.
Judith Neilson, founder of the White Rabbit Gallery in Sydney, Australia, will be the first Australian to join the Council and joins the likes of Sir Richard Branson, world renowned Brazilian author Paulo Coelho, pioneering Japanese artist Yoko Ono, financier and philanthropist Krishna Rao, Founder and CEO of AirAsia Tony Fernandes, social activist Hadeel Ibrahim and entrepreneur Bassim Haidar.
“As a visible driving force behind restoring the safety, dignity and hope of some of the world’s most vulnerable people, Judith Neilson’s voice will have tremendous strength as she brings it alongside Amnesty International.”
Salil Shetty, Secretary General of Amnesty International.
“As a visible driving force behind restoring the safety, dignity and hope of some of the world’s most vulnerable people, Judith Neilson’s voice will have tremendous strength as she brings it alongside Amnesty International,” said Salil Shetty, Secretary General of Amnesty International.
Growing up in Zimbabwe and South Africa left Judith Neilson with a deep awareness of poverty and the plight of refugees. Those concerns led to her work with Anti-Slavery Australia, of which she is Patron, and her endowment of a Chair in Architecture at the University of New South Wales to develop innovative housing for people displaced by war and natural disasters.
Neilson’s charitable work and her contributions to the arts were recognised in 2016 with her appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia.
Amnesty International’s Global Council was established in 2013 to support Amnesty’s work to advance justice and human rights globally. Members serve as champions for Amnesty International within their own networks and help the organisation’s Secretary General to raise financial resources and identify and engage new human rights supporters. Council members do this in a variety of ways that are suited to their backgrounds, areas of expertise and interests.
