George and Amal Clooney, Co-Founders of The Clooney Foundation for Justice and Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation, will host the first-ever ‘Albie Awards’ at the New York Public Library later this week.
Named after Justice Albie Sachs, revered for his heroic commitment to ending apartheid in South Africa, the Albie Awards will honor courageous defenders of justice who are at great risk for what they do.
“We believe that justice must be waged — it doesn’t just happen. So when journalists are locked up just for doing their job, we try to get them out of prison. When young girls are denied the right to study, work, or marry when they want, we help them fight for their rights through the courts. When minorities are targeted for genocide, we help trigger trials against the perpetrators,” said George and Amal Clooney.
“The Albie Awards add a new dimension to our work at CFJ: they are a way to shine a protective light on the many courageous individuals who, at great personal risk, have devoted their lives to justice.”
On September 29, 2022, Justice Albie Sachs will be honored with a lifetime achievement award; Filipino journalist Maria Ressa will be honored with the Justice For Journalists award; iAct, an organization that supports survivors of genocide in refugee camps, will be honored with the Justice For Survivors award; Belarusian human rights group Viasna will be honored with the Justice For Democracy Defenders award; and Dr. Josephine Kulea of the Samburu Girls Foundation, a Kenyan-based organization, will be honored with the Justice For Women award.
“We are seeing attacks on journalists, human rights defenders, women, LGBTQ people and minorities proliferating worldwide, with very little accountability. With the Albie Awards, we hope to bring much-needed attention to the courageous work of our award-winners and to the critical importance of freedom of the press, the right to protest, and anti-discrimination principles more broadly” added Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation.
Michelle Obama, Meryl Streep, Oscar Isaac, Dua Lipa, Aloe Blacc, John Oliver, Julia Roberts, Nadia Murad, and Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa are a few of the people who have signed on to be part of the evening and raise their voices on behalf of the honorees. Other surprise guests will be announced on the night! Our partners include Charlotte Tilbury Beauty, Microsoft and Giorgio Armani, among many others.
About The Clooney Foundation for Justice
CFJ’s mission is waging justice to create a world where human rights are protected and no one is above the law. We operate in over 40 countries, providing free legal support to victims of human rights abuses. Our aim is to protect those who are being persecuted and ensure their perpetrators are brought to justice, with a focus on protecting women, journalists, defenders of democracy and minorities.
For more information on our three initiatives – TrialWatch, The Docket and Waging Justice For Women – please visit:www.cfj.org
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