Clooney Foundation for Justice’s 2025 Albies in London

Clooney Foundation for Justice’s 2025 Albies in London Hosted by Amal and George Clooney

WHO: Amal and George Clooney, Co-Founders of The Clooney Foundation for Justice, Brad Smith, Charlotte Tilbury, Donatella Versace, Bianca Jagger, Dominic West, Emma Thompson, Felicity Jones, Gayle King, Graham Norton, Giles Deacon, Hannah Waddingham, Hugh Bonneville, Isla Fisher, Jemima Khan, Jacinda Ardern, John Legend, Joseph Quinn, Jordan Hewson, Laura Bailey, Meg Ryan, Meryl Streep, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Ramla Ali, Richard E. Grant, Russell Tovey, Sabrina Elba, Shailene Woodley, Stella McCartney and many more.

WHAT: For the fourth year in a row, the Clooney Foundation for Justice honored courageous defenders of justice at The Albies. The night also included special performances by John Legend and Brandi Carlile.

The awards—named after Justice Albie Sachs for his foundational role in ending apartheid in South Africa—aim to shine a spotlight on brave individuals who, at great personal risk, have devoted their lives to justice. Prominent figures from the worlds of human rights, business, entertainment, fashion, and technology came together to show their support for five awardees whose work and sacrifices CFJ honoured.

Partners for The Albies include Charlotte Tillbury, Versace, Microsoft and Brad Smith & Kathy Surace-Smith

This year’s honorees include:

FATOU BALDEH, Fatou Baldeh is one of the world’s leading voices on the dangers of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), which impacts 230 million women globally. A survivor herself, she founded Women in Liberation and Leadership (WILL) and was instrumental in advocating against a 2024 effort to overturn The Gambia’s ban on the practice.

JOSE RUBEN ZAMORA, Jose Rubén Zamora is one of Guatemala’s most respected journalists, known for investigating corruption for over 30 years. After his newspaper published critical reporting about Guatemala’s president, he was arrested and then charged with and convicted of money laundering. CFJ’s TrialWatch monitored his trial, grading it an F due to a series of egregious violations. His sentence was overturned in 2023, but he remains in prison awaiting retrial. Both the UN and the Organization of American States have declared Zamora’s present detention to be arbitrary.

MARTY BARON, Marty Baron’s legacy as executive editor of The Boston Globe and The Washington Post exemplifies the value of a free press. Under his leadership, the Globe exposed the Catholic Church’s cover-up of sexual abuse, while the Post reported on widespread digital surveillance of American citizens.

MELINDA FRENCH GATES, Melinda French Gates has championed global efforts for women’s health and gender equality for over 25 years, driven by the desire to unlock a healthier, more prosperous, and equal future for women and girls worldwide. After setting the direction of the world’s largest philanthropy for more than two decades at the Gates Foundation, she now leads Pivotal — an organization that works to accelerate the pace of progress and advance women’s power and influence in the U.S. and around the world. She helped launch a campaign to end child marriage in partnership with CFJ and the Obama Foundation in 2023.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: DARREN WALKER, As president of the Ford Foundation, Darren Walker‘s generosity and determination have touched countless communities during a decades-long career that has ranged from building affordable housing in Harlem to funding pioneering global social justice initiatives. An innovative leader, he created the first billion-dollar social bond in U.S. capital markets to stabilize nonprofit organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic and led a $1 billion grantmaking effort to strengthen institutions and amplify their impact.

The evening was designed by Bronson van Wyck of Van Wyck & Van Wyck, who drew inspiration from the Belle Époque, weaving together rich colors, ornate patterns, layered textures, and gilded accents.

WHEN: Friday, October 3, 2025, WHERE: The National History Museum,c Cromwell Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 5BD

ABOUT THE CLOONEY FOUNDATION FOR JUSTICE, The Clooney Foundation for Justice wages justice by providing free legal aid in defense of free speech and women’s rights in over 40 countries. CFJ’s work has led to more than 100 journalists and advocates being set free and thousands of women receiving free legal support to defend their rights.

For more information on CFJ and our two initiatives—TrialWatch and Waging Justice For Women, please visit our website: https://www.cfj.org