Amal Clooney to give Senior Day address to Vanderbilt University on 10 May

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[size=34]Senior Day address by Amal Clooney open to all VU students, faculty and staff[/size]

May. 4, 2018, 11:18 AM

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Amal Clooney

British human rights lawyer Amal Clooney—who specializes in public international law, international criminal law and human rights at London’s Doughty Street Chambers—will receive Vanderbilt University’s prestigious Nichols-Chancellor’s Medal on Thursday, May 10, when she addresses graduating seniors and their families during Senior Day.
The entire Vanderbilt community is invited to hear Clooney speak beginning at 11 a.m. in Memorial Gym. Doors at Memorial Gym will open at 9:30 a.m.
Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos will present Clooney with the Nichols-Chancellor’s Medal, one of Vanderbilt’s highest honors. It is given each year to an individual who defines the 21st century and exemplifies the best qualities of the human spirit. It was created and endowed by Vanderbilt Law School graduate Ed Nichols and his wife, Janice, in honor of Edward Carmack and Lucile Hamby Nichols. Previous recipients include Laura Bush, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Khaled Hosseini, Toni Morrison, Soledad O’Brien and Muhammad Yunus.
Senior Day on May 10 precedes Vanderbilt’s annual Commencement ceremony for graduating seniors scheduled for Friday, May 11, and is a highlight of three days of activities honoring graduates, their families and friends. For more information about Senior Day and other events, visit Vanderbilt’s updated Commencement website.

'When our politicians try to conflate the terms refugee and terrorist we need courage': Amal Clooney takes a swipe at Trump in Vanderbilt University commencement speech

•  The human rights lawyer spoke Thursday in Nashville, Tennessee, for senior day
  
  
• During her discussion of free press, she appeared to take a swipe at Trump
  
  
• 'At a time when... the media is under attack from the White House - we need courage,' she said
  
  
• Clooney, who is married to Hollywood A-lister George Clooney, also took issue with Trump and his administration's attitude towards refugees
  
  
• 'And at a time when our politicians try to conflate the terms refugee and terrorist and make us fear one another, we need courage,' she urged 
  
  

By Ross Mcdonagh For Dailymail.com
PUBLISHED: 19:45 BST, 10 May 2018 

Amal Clooney appeared to take aim at Donald Trump in her Vanderbilt University commencement speech where she criticized America's politicians for 'conflating refugees with terrorists.'   
The human rights lawyer spoke Thursday in Nashville, Tennessee, for senior day, a part of the university's commencement activities, where she was given the school's Nichols-Chancellor's Medal.
During her discussion of free press, she appeared to take a swipe at the president for failing to defend the rights of a free press.
'At a time when more journalists are in prison around the world than in any time in the last three decades - and even here at home, [where] the media is under attack from the White House - we need courage,' she said.
Clooney, who is married to Hollywood A-lister George Clooney, also took issue with Trump and his administration's attitude towards refugees.  
'And at a time when our politicians try to conflate the terms refugee and terrorist and make us fear one another, we need courage,' she urged.
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Strong message: Amal Clooney urged young students at Vanderbilt University on Thursday to have courage because it inspires others and creates rights for future generations

She added that courage was the trait that above all, would define the young students as a person.
'Character traits like persistence, ambition, inquisitiveness and grit that will determine your success,' she said. 'However, the thing that will define you as a person is your courage. That is the virtue on which all others depend.'
'We need young people with the courage to say this is our world now and there's going to be some changes,' Clooney continued. 'Be courageous. Challenge orthodoxy. Stand up for what you believe in. When you are in your rocking chair talking to your grandchildren many years from now, be sure you have a good story to tell. 
She noted that students at Vanderbilt who staged sit-ins during the Civil Rights era showed their courage to fight for equal rights. 



But she said courage is still needed to address conditions for women, journalists and LGBT people worldwide.

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Clooney added that she had never been to Tennessee before, but said her husband George Clooney told her the university had a good basketball team. 
Amal was just one of the many powerful women taking to podiums across the country this spring. 
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Honored: The human rights lawyer spoke Thursday in Nashville, Tennessee, for senior day, a part of the university's commencement activities, where she was given the school's Nichols-Chancellor's Medal 
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Great minds: She shared a laugh with the University's Chancellor Nicholas Zeppos
For the first time in at least two decades, the majority of the nation's top colleges are featuring women as their commencement speakers, a shift that industry experts credit to the wave of female empowerment that has fueled the #MeToo movement.
Yale is bringing Hillary Clinton. MIT will host Sheryl Sandberg, while Dartmouth chose Mindy Kaling.
Overall, women account for nearly 60 percent of the speakers at the 25 schools that have the largest endowments and traditionally carry the clout to draw big names to the lectern. 
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Girl power: For the first time in at least two decades, the majority of the nation's top colleges are featuring women as their commencement speakers, a shift that industry experts credit to the wave of female empowerment that has fueled the #MeToo movement — Yale is bringing Hillary Clinton. MIT will host Sheryl Sandberg

By contrast, women made up just a quarter of the speakers at those schools over the previous 19 years, according to an Associated Press analysis of university records.

Companies that are hired to find speakers say they've seen a surge in requests for women at the same time that the #MeToo movement has shed light on sexual misconduct from Hollywood to Capitol Hill. Demand has grown so quickly that some say they're struggling to keep up.

'There's been a much bigger push to bring in white females, black females - anyone other than a white male,' said Richard Schelp, owner of Executive Speakers Bureau in Memphis, Tennessee, where 40 percent of recent booking requests from schools and other clients have been for women. 'We're digging deep into our reservoir of resources.'

party animal - not! wrote:I think you might want to check out similar speeches Amal has given long before George came along, Ladybug.

Check out the International Bar Association for one, the International Criminal Court in the Hague for another (all online)........I could go on......

ladybugcngc wrote:I'm guessing Amal has the courage to endure the violence that was imposed upon those involved in the civil rights movement.

media savvy wrote:Exactly where and how is Amal courageous?

ladybugcngc wrote:If I was in a marriage relationship with George Clooney I could. 

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[size=37]Amal Clooney Calls for 'Courage' in Powerful Commencement Speech -- Watch![/size]

By Zach Seemayer‍ 7:57 PM PDT, May 10, 2018


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[size=9]Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
Amal Clooney is the inspirational force the world needs these days.
The human rights lawyer, activist, fashion icon and wife of movie star George Clooney, spoke to students at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, on Thursday, where she gave an impassioned speech about the importance of having unshakable courage in the face of adversity during these challenging times.
"Courage, as they say, is contagious. People who have the courage to change their societies—in India, in South Africa, in the United States—inspire each other and create rights for future generations," Clooney said in a video of the address posted to YouTube. "But when I look at the world today, I see that courage is needed more than ever."

The 40-year-old political activist, who was honored by the university with the 2018 Nichols Chancellor's Medal, called out the various challenges and civil rights abuses that face people all around the world.
"At a time when women all over the world face physical abuse, restrictions on their ability to work, own property, travel and even have custody over their children, we need courage," she shared. "At a time when the LGBT community and every continent struggles for equal rights, freedom from imprisonment and even death, we need courage."
Clooney shared some of her most pointed remarks -- including ones directed at President Donald Trump's administration -- while addressing the importance of a free press and the responsibility of American's to defend journalists and the First Amendment.
"At a time when more journalists are in prison around the world than in any time in the last three decades -- and even here at home, [where] the media is under attack from the White House -- we need courage," she shared. "And at a time when our politicians try to conflate the terms refugee and terrorist and make us fear one another, we need courage."

She went on to say that "character traits like persistence, ambition, inquisitiveness and grit that will determine your success," however, the thing that will define you as a person is your courage. "That is the virtue on which all others depend."
"We need young people with the courage to say this is our world now and there's going to be some changes," Clooney continued. "Be courageous. Challenge orthodoxy. Stand up for what you believe in. When you are in your rocking chair talking to your grandchildren many years from now, be sure you have a good story to tell."

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[ltr]"It’s character traits like persistence, ambition, inquisitiveness and grit that will determine your success. And perhaps more than anything that will define you is your courage. That is the virtue on which all others depend."--Amal Clooney #VU2018[/ltr]
9:35 PM - May 10, 2018

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[ltr]"Be courageous. Challenge orthodoxy. Stand up for what you believe in. When you are in your rocking chair talking to your grandchildren many years for now, be sure you have a good story to tell." - -Amal Clooney #VU2018[/ltr]
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According to a statement released by Nick Zeppos, the chancellor of Vanderbilt University, Clooney plans to donate the honorarium given to her by the university to the Clooney Foundation for Justice.
The chic, regal Lebanese-British barrister has mastered the ability to seamlessly navigate the worlds of politics, high-fashion and Hollywood.
Just a few days before delivering her emotionally potent commencement event address, she was serving as the co-chair of the star-studded Met Galaat the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, alongside Rihanna and Donatella Versace.[/size][/size]

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[size=34]Amal Clooney to Vanderbilt grads: We need courage[/size]
By Associated Press
May 10, 2018 


NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Amal Clooney urged young students at Vanderbilt University to have courage, citing some of the human rights cases she has worked on, because it inspires others and creates rights for future generations.
The human rights lawyer spoke Thursday in Nashville, Tennessee, for senior day, a part of the university’s commencement activities. She was given the school’s Nichols-Chancellor’s Medal.
She used examples of courageous people including Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr. and the Vanderbilt students who took part in sit-ins during the Civil Rights era to fight for equal rights.
“A hundred years ago there would have been few women here at the Vanderbilt commencement,” Clooney said. “Sixty years ago there would have been no African-American students in the senior day audience. There is still much to do but it is thanks to the courageous people who’ve come before us that we have the rights that we have today including courageous students who were right here on this campus.”
She also told the stories of two clients she had represented, including a Yazidi woman who was kidnapped by militants in Iraq and a female journalist who was arrested after reporting on corruption by the president of Azerbaijan. But she said more courage is needed around the world.
“At a time when the LGBT community in every continent struggles for equal rights, freedom from imprisonment and even death, we need courage,” Clooney said. “At a time when more journalists are in prison around the world than at any time in the last three decades, and even here at home the media is under attack from the White House, we need courage. And at a time when our politicians try to conflate the terms refugee and terrorist and make us fear one another, we need courage.”
Clooney admitted that she had never been to Tennessee before, but said her husband, George Clooney, told her the university had a good basketball team in the Vanderbilt Commodores.