Amal and George Clooney Honored Virtually at Simon Wiesenthal Center's National Tribute Dinner (

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[size=48]Amal and George Clooney Honored Virtually at Simon Wiesenthal Center's National Tribute Dinner (Exclusive)[/size]
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Simon Wiesenthal Center

George Clooney



"We have said time and time again 'Never again,' and we mean it, but the truth is we're not very good at it," the Oscar-winning filmmaker said in reference to repeated genocides and atrocities around the world.

"We have said time and time again 'Never again,' and we mean it," said George Clooney as he accepted the Simon Wiesenthal Center's highest honor, the Humanitarian Award, on behalf of himself and his wife Amal Clooney during the Los Angeles-based organization's 40th annual National Tribute Dinner on Wednesday evening, the first ever held virtually.

"But the truth is we're not very good at it," the Oscar-winning filmmaker continued, citing recent genocides and atrocities in Rwanda, Armenia, Bosnia, Myanamar, Darfur, South Sudan, the Yazidis, the Uyghurs in China. "We fail more often than we succeed, and that's part of the problem. I fail a lot more than I'd like to. Doesn't mean we don't try, doesn't that we don't keep pushing that ball up the hill. These are never going to be easy solutions. But if we always remember the word 'tolerance,' that's the key — tolerance for all races, tolerance for all religions. That's what matters. That's the most important part."

The event, which raised $1.9 million to support the work of the SWC, its Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles and its under-construction Museum of Tolerance in Jerusalem (now $35 million short of its fundraising goal), was co-hosted by SWC chief Rabbi Marvin Hier and SWC board member and longtime gala co-chair Jeffrey Katzenberg.

Katzenberg, making his first public appearance since the demise of his streaming venture Quibi, applauded the Clooneys for their philanthropic work through the Clooney Foundation for Justice and through their support of other organizations, and noted that Clooney recently donated his time to narrate Never Stop Dreaming: The Life and Legacy of Shimon Peres, a documentary produced by SWC's Oscar-winning Moriah Films division, which will soon premiere as a Netflix original documentary.

Katzenberg also noted, "This has been the most difficult and challenging year of the Center's existence. COVID-19 forced both the Museum of Tolerance and the Center to close its doors. It also brought the construction of the new Museum of Tolerance in Jerusalem to a halt. If that wasn't enough, the pandemic also contributed to the largest uptick in anti-Semitism and hate since the Center opened."

The ceremony also, however, provided plenty of reason for hope. Via introductions by Rabbi Hier and moving video packages produced, directed and narrated by Oscar-winning documentarian Richard Trank, the Center, as always, presented Medals of Valor to three "exemplary individuals who honor mankind... whose courage and bravery shine a light in the darkest of places."

This year's honorees were Douglas Miguel Rodriguez (posthumously), an Ecuadorian clerk at a Jersey City kosher supermarket who was killed while trying to protect others from anti-Semitic terrorists who shot up the establishment; Dame Louise Ellman DBE, a longtime British MP who resigned from the Labor Party in protest of then-party leader Jeremy Corbyn's anti-Semitism; and Francesco Lotoro and Grazia Tiritiello, Italian husband and wife musicologists who have devoted their career to collecting, preserving and performing music of Jewish musicians that was composed while they were in captivity during the Holocaust.

The gala was chaired by Katzenberg (SWC board member and past honoree), Eddy Cue, Jim Gianopulos (SWC board member and past honoree), Bob Iger (past honoree), Ron Meyer (SWC board member and past honoree), Jennifer Salke, Ted Sarandos (past honoree), Ann Sarnoff and Tony Vinciquerra.

Wow! It's all happening for them. So well deserved.

I think George has had a long relationship with this event, hasn't he?


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Dammit - did we know this was happening? I'm starting to feel personally affronted that just when I've added a calendar to this site, he keeps popping up unexpectedly. It's just not on!

It's not your fault. Things like this and the award Amal's getting don't get much coverage, so they're not easy to find.

The way things are going in this country I think he's probably also a lot more security conscious. The lunatic fringe is coming out of the woodwork thanks to drumpf, and everyone is on edge.

It just means I need to try harder. I'm sure it was announced a while back that they'd be getting this award and I just missed it. Ah well.  

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Amal And George Clooney Honoured At Virtual Simon Wiesenthal Center Tribute Dinner

By COREY ATAD. 1 hour ago

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]Amal and George Clooney. Photo: EPA/ANDY RAIN/CP Images
George and Amal Clooney are being recognized for their efforts to end genocide around the world.

On Wednesday night, the couple accepted the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s highest honour, the Humanitarian Award, during the organization’s 40th annual National Tribute Dinner, held virtually for the first time ever.

“We have said time and time again, ‘Never again,’ and we mean it,” George said, according to The Hollywood Reporter, accepting the award on behalf of himself and Amal, who is an international human rights lawyer in addition to a fellow humanitarian. “But the truth is, we’re not very good at it.”

The actor went on to cite recent and ongoing genocides and human rights atrocities in Rwanda, Armenia, Bosnia, Myanmar, Darfur, South Sudan, and against the Yazidis in Iraq and the Uyghurs in China.

“We fail more often than we succeed, and that’s part of the problem. I fail a lot more than I’d like to,” he said. “Doesn’t mean we don’t try, doesn’t that we don’t keep pushing that ball up the hill. These are never going to be easy solutions. But if we always remember the word ‘tolerance,’ that’s the key — tolerance for all races, tolerance for all religions. That’s what matters. That’s the most important part.”

The Clooneys were honoured for their work through the Clooney Foundation for Justice, as well as other human rights organizations. George also recently narrated the documentary “Never Stop Dreaming: The Life and Legacy of Shimon Peres”, produced through the Simon Wiesenthal Center, and soon to premiere on Netflix.

I think I posted about this either late last year or early this year.

Mm,I think you did, Annemarie...

Thanks pan , my memories is getting fuzzy way too much going on.

The thread's here: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] from May this year. But it didn't say when they would reschedule the event (or I missed it!!).

LizzyNY wrote:It's not your fault. Things like this and the award Amal's getting don't get much coverage, so they're not easy to find.

The way things are going in this country I think he's probably also a lot more security conscious. The lunatic fringe is coming out of the woodwork thanks to drumpf, and everyone is on edge.

 the award Amal's getting don't get much coverage    what award??

Thanks PAN

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[size=40]Amal Clooney
International Press Freedom Awards
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CPJ is honored to present its 2020 Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award, for extraordinary and sustained achievement in the cause of press freedom, to lawyer Amal Clooney.

Clooney specializes in public international law, international criminal law, and human rights. She has represented clients before courts such as the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights. She also provides advice to governments and individuals on legal issues in her areas of expertise.
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Clooney previously served as a senior adviser to Kofi Annan when he was the U.N.’s envoy on Syria. She also served as counsel to the U.N. inquiry on the use of armed drones. She is a member of the U.K.’s team of experts on preventing sexual violence in conflict zones, and she is on the U.K. attorney general’s expert panel on public international law.

Clooney is a strong advocate for press freedom and the rights of journalists. She served as international counsel for Reuters and the media organization’s journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who were arrested in Myanmar in December 2017 and sentenced to seven years in prison under the country’s Official Secrets Act for their reporting on crimes committed against the Rohingya by Myanmar forces. Clooney worked with CPJ on the journalists’ case and, together with Reuters and CPJ, advocated on behalf of the Reuters reporters and other journalists imprisoned around the world at the United Nations. In her remarks at the U.N., she called the journalists’ convictions and sentence a “travesty of justice” and outlined their defense case. In May 2019, the two journalists were freed.

Prior to this, Clooney represented award-winning Azerbaijani journalist Khadija Ismayilova, who was persecuted by Azerbaijani authorities for years. Ismayilova was jailed in December 2014 and sentenced to seven and a half years in prison on charges of tax evasion and embezzlement, allegations that CPJ believed were in retaliation for her reporting. For years, CPJ, too, advocated for her freedom. Clooney represented Ismayilova before the European Court of Human Rights, securing a strong judgment in her favor. In May 2016, Ismayilova was released from prison. “Her release is a victory for all journalists who dare to speak truth to power,” Clooney said at the time.

Clooney also represented Mohamad Fahmy, a Canadian journalist who was one of three Al-Jazeera journalists imprisoned in Egypt in 2013. Fahmy was sentenced to three years in prison on charges of terrorism and spreading false news. The charges spurred international condemnation, and CPJ repeatedly called for the journalists’ release. In September 2015, Fahmy was freed and thanked his “remarkable and courageous” lawyer Amal Clooney.

Clooney also promotes freedom of speech and journalism through the Clooney Foundation for Justice, which she co-founded with her husband George Clooney. One of their flagship initiatives, TrialWatch, monitors the trials of journalists worldwide and provides free legal representation for those in greatest need. The initiative grades the fairness of each trial in order to rank judicial systems on a global justice index that will be used to push for systemic reform. CPJ works closely with TrialWatch on many of these cases and has supported Clooney’s calls for legal and policy reform—including the use of sanctions against officials who silence reporters—to better protect a free press.

CPJ is deeply grateful to Clooney for her contributions to the cause of press freedom. Clooney has been a strong supporter of CPJ’s advocacy in recent years and has taken up the call for governments to provide emergency visas to journalists in distress. She is currently representing Maria Ressa, CPJ’s 2018 Gwen Ifill award winner, who has been convicted of cyber libel, a criminal offense, in the Philippines.

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[size=35]Prince Charles launches the 'Amal Clooney Award' to celebrate 'incredible young women'[/size]

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Margaret Abrams, 
Evening Standard 
Mar 19, 2019, 10:12 AM

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Amal Clooney and George Clooney recently visited Buckingham Palace. Chris Jackson/ WPA Pool/ Getty Images

• Prince Charles has named an award after Amal Clooney.
  
  
• The news comes days after Amal and George Clooney were spotted at Buckingham Palace to celebrate the royal's charity work for The Princes's Trust.
  
  
• The first award is going to be presented by Clooney herself.
  
  

Days after Prince Charles and Amal Clooney appeared at Buckingham Palace together to celebrate The Prince's Trust, Prince Charles has named an award after the international human rights lawyer.
Amal and her husband, George Clooney, joined the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday, March 12 for a dinner in support of his charity. Also present at the event were Benedict Cumberbatch, Luke Evans and Josh Hartnett.

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Prince Charles seems to get on famously with the Clooneys. Chris Jackson/ WPA Pool/ Getty Images
The Prince's Trust International was established in 1976 to help disadvantaged young people across the UK. Now, it has expanded, with programs in Australia, Canada, India, Barbados, Jordan, Pakistan and Malta.
The brand new Amal Clooney Award will be given to inspirational young women between 11 and 30 around the world. It will specifically honour young women who have made a difference in their community or are the driving force behind important projects. Examples include impressive sustainable farming projects and rebuilding work in war zones.
Read More: Amal and George Clooney look like royalty at a Buckingham Palace dinner with Prince Charles
The first award is going out to one young woman in 2020 and will be presented by Amal herself.
"I am honoured to have been invited by Prince's Trust International to participate in this global initiative celebrating young women who are change-makers in their communities," she said in a statement.
"It is a privilege to be able to play a part in a project that will draw attention to incredible young women who are the future leaders of our world."
Amal is the ideal woman to give out the award, as she's a longtime defender of women's rights and human rights globally. She's one of the top barristers in the UK and was recently appointed to the UK Attorney General's expert panel on public international law.
The award is currently open to nominees who will be judged on their impact, sustainability and how life-changing their projects are.
Read the original article on Evening Standard. Copyright 2019. Follow Evening Standard on Twitter.







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Hope this works!

Thanks pan.

PAN - It worked fine. TBH I skipped ahead to George's speech but will go back and watch more when I have time. Thanks for posting.

Thanks so much PAN.  Nice humble speech from our guy.