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“At The Albies, the sacrifices and courageous commitments to justice and human rights take centre stage,” George and Amal, who are also co-Founders of the Clooney Foundation for Justice, have said. “This is a celebration of the individuals whose lives and careers have come to embody those values that form the cornerstone of our foundation’s global work.”

Graham Norton hosted the evening’s proceedings, while presenters included Thompson, Streep, Ahern and Downton Abbey actor Hugh Bonneville. There were also performances from both John Legend and Brandi Carlile.

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Previous awards ceremonies have been held at the New York Public Library, but this year London had the honour, partially because Amal is due to introduce a partnership at Oxford University focusing on using artificial intelligence to enhance access to justice and the advancement of international law.

Jacinda Ardern described the evening as “a moment in time to be able to acknowledge the work that often goes on quietly, but is incredibly important. Some of the people being honoured tonight, they’ve been working for decades.”

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Taylor Hill/Getty Images

The Albies cover multiple award categories, including a justice for women award – Iranian journalists Niloofar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi were previous recipients.

The Clooney Foundation for Justice provides free legal aid in defence of free speech and women’s rights, so we know that as well as throwing a five-star celebrity soirée, empowering women is at the centre of the Clooney mission.