George and Amal Clooney accepted their first joint award together during a virtual ceremony for the Elevate Prize Foundation.
The couple was honored with the Catalyst Award which recognizes prominent individuals who use their platform to inspire social change. The Clooneys, who are behind the Clooney Foundation for Justice, delivered their speech together.
“One of the Elevate Prize Foundation’s core values is human safety and freedom – a goal we share at the Clooney Foundation for Justice as we work to free the innocent and punish the guilty, waging justice one case at a time,” Clooney, 60, said.
Amal, a 44-year-old human rights attorney, said, “The funding we receive from this award will support our TrialWatch program, which monitors criminal trials around the world and defends individuals who are unjustly detained, including journalists, women, LGBTQ persons and minorities.”
George added: “Our goal at the foundation is to free the innocent and punish the guilty. I think we’re both inspired by the young people out there challenging injustice in their communities, a new generation that won’t accept the status quo.”
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Elevate Prize/YouTube
The Catalyst Award comes with a $250,000 prize. The George Clooney Foundation for Justice plans to use the funding for its TrialWatch program, according to Entertainment Tonight.
This is the second time the Catalyst Award has been given to recipients. The first winner was last year when Trevor Noah received the award for his work with his foundation aiming to boost learning opportunities in South African schools.
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The Clooneys have long kept their humanitarian efforts as a priority with the actor receiving the Peace Summit Award in 2007.
Amal has also appeared in cases before the International Court of Justice, the International Crime Court and the European Court of Human Rights.
