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RECORDING ACADEMY®, UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS AND UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD CELEBRATE RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW GLOBAL CLIMATE ALLIANCE PARTNERSHIP IN NEW YORK CITY
Recording Academy • September 26, 2024
Khatia Buniatishvili, Felukah and Fally Ipupa performed intimate concert at the Recording Academy's New York Townhouse to help raise awareness for climate action
NEW YORK (SEPT. 26, 2024) – The Recording Academy and the Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Alliance, with the support of United Nations Human Rights and University of Oxford, joined together on Sept. 24 to promote the 2025 Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Summit to address climate justice and rights-based climate action around the world. Held during the 79th United Nations General Assembly Week in New York, the high-level event highlighted the intersection of climate change, human rights and culture. Together, these organizations work to raise global awareness, advocate for climate action, and ensure that human rights are central to the climate conversation.
“We remain incredibly proud of the work we are doing with Right Here, Right Now and we were honored to host an amazing night of music in our Recording Academy New York townhouse,” said Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy. “As we continue to expand our global efforts as an Academy, I’m thrilled to be able to help showcase how the power of music can raise awareness and help promote change surrounding human rights issues around the world.”
The event comes after the Recording Academy’s recent announcement around expanding its efforts to support music creators in Africa and the Middle East, with the organization building a framework aimed at protecting artists and fueling creative development around the world. Through various initiatives, the Academy has expanded its reach to recognize that musicians can act as influential voices for justice. The event marks the second time the Academy has hosted an event during the United Nations General Assembly with United Nations Human Rights and the Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Alliance. Performing at the private industry event, which was held at the Recording Academy’s New York townhouse, were international recording artists Khatia Buniatishvili, Felukah and Fally Ipupa.
“The climate crisis is an urgent human rights crisis. It’s impacting housing, food, water, health and so much more – affecting the rights of millions around the world. As the Global Partner of the Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Alliance, UN Human Rights is grateful to the Recording Academy and Oxford University for their commitment to work with us to advance human rights solutions to prevent, minimize and remedy the human suffering caused by the climate crisis,” said Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
“With our well-established and world-leading expertise in climate-related research and teaching, the University of Oxford is proud to be the Academic Partner for the Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Alliance. We are grateful to the Recording Academy for putting the spotlight on human rights and climate change, and in June 2025 we look forward to bringing together researchers, students and the music community, with the common goal of finding solutions to one of the most pressing issues of our times, climate change.” said Professor Irene Tracey, Vice Chancellor of the University of Oxford.
“Since launching our Global Climate Alliance with UN Human Rights at COP26 in Glasgow, with the backing of influential voices like Leonardo DiCaprio, Camilla Cabello and Quincy Jones, we have emerged as a leading climate justice initiative,” said David Clark, founder and CEO of the Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Alliance. “With best in class partners UN Human Rights, the Recording Academy and University of Oxford, we’re excited to leverage their powerful voices, for those who all too often have none.”
UN Human Rights and the University of Oxford will host the 2025 Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Summit, bringing together renowned leaders, policymakers, technologists, academics, universities, celebrities, and more to advance climate justice through human rights solutions to the climate crisis. To help promote the global summit this past week, Neil Young, Barbra Streisand, Carole King, Annie Lennox, Ziggy Marley, Billie Jean King, Pierce Brosnan, Jack Black, Laura Pausini, Rachel Platt, Kyra Sedgwick, Margaret Cho, and more, promoted the 4-7 June 2025 event via their social channels.
Photos from last night’s event can be found here.
ABOUT THE RECORDING ACADEMY
The Recording Academy represents the voices of performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, and all music professionals. Dedicated to ensuring the recording arts remain a thriving part of our shared cultural heritage, the Academy honors music's history while investing in its future through the GRAMMY Museum®, advocates on behalf of music creators, supports music people in times of need through MusiCares®, and celebrates artistic excellence through the GRAMMY Awards® — music's only peer-recognized accolade and highest achievement. As the world's leading society of music professionals, we work year-round to foster a more inspiring world for creators.
For more information about the GRAMMY Awards and the Recording Academy, please visit GRAMMY.com andRecordingAcademy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @RecordingAcad on X (Twitter), "like" Recording Academy on Facebook, and join the Recording Academy's social communities on Instagram, YouTube,TikTok, and LinkedIn. For media assets, please visit the Recording Academy Press Room.
RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW GLOBAL CLIMATE ALLIANCE
Launched at COP26 in 2021 with global partner UN Human Rights, the Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Alliance (RHRN) has emerged as a leading global climate justice initiative. It is a multi-stakeholder movement, including universities and youth, to promote climate justice. To drive sustainable change, RHRN collaborates with policymakers, academics, students, scientists, technologists, media professionals, business leaders, and influencers from art, music, and sport to advance human rights solutions to the climate crisis. RHRN celebrity-driven social media campaigns to date have collectively reached nearly two billion followers with messages promoting climate justice. For more information visit: www.righthererightnow.global.
UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN Human Rights) is the global partner of the Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Alliance (RHRN). It represents the world’s commitment to the promotion, protection, and realization of the full range of human rights and fundamental freedoms set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Through the voice and the work of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and a staff of 1,800 in 103 countries, the Office aims to make human rights a reality in the lives of people everywhere. Fighting climate change is at the very heart of the Office’s mandate, as it already negatively affects the human rights of millions of people around the world – human rights such as those to food, water, housing, health, decent work, development, and even life itself. For more information, visit: www.ohchr.org.
Stay connected with OHCHR for the latest updates and breaking news by following us on X (Twitter) Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and LinkedIn.
For media assets and inquiries, please visit: www.ohchr.org/en/media-centre
UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD
Oxford University has been placed number 1 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for the eighth year running, and number 3 in the QS World Rankings 2024. At the heart of this success are the twin-pillars of our ground-breaking research and innovation and our distinctive educational offer.
Oxford is world-famous for research and teaching excellence and home to some of the most talented people from across the globe. Their work helps the lives of millions, solving real-world problems through a huge network of partnerships and collaborations. The breadth and interdisciplinary nature of their research alongside their personalised approach to teaching sparks imaginative and inventive insights and solutions.
For more information visit: https://www.ox.ac.uk.
CONTACTS
Andie Cox
Recording Academy
communications@grammy.com
Victor Jose Fernandez
United Nation Human Rights
victor.fernandez@un.org
Laura Gelbert
United Nation Human Rights
gelbert@un.org
Rebekah Alperin
Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Alliance
reb@gostoryboard.com
Caroline Wood
University of Oxford
news.office@admin.ox.ac.uk
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Additional Recent News
United Nations Human Rights, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, and the Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Alliance Announce Multi-Year Plan to Host the Global Youth Climate Summit at Oxford on UN World Environment Day Geneva, Switzerland – 10 December 2025 – On UN Human Rights Day, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN Human Rights), Saïd Business School, University of Oxford (Oxford Saïd), and the Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Alliance (RHRN) announced a multi-year plan to host the Right Here, Right Now Global Youth Climate Summit annually on UN World Environment Day (5 June). The annual Summit will be jointly hosted by Oxford Saïd and UN Human Rights, with co-hosting support from leading universities worldwide, including the University of Colorado Boulder. The Summit will convene young leaders, scholars, policymakers, educators, and innovators to advance human rights-based climate solutions. “Climate change is already harming the rights of millions of people - and young people refuse to accept a future defined by loss and injustice,” said Astrid van Genderen Stort, Chief of External Engagement and Partnerships at UN Human Rights. “This annual summit seeks to support youth voices in shaping the policies, technologies, and decisions that will define our shared future.” The multi-year initiative establishes Oxford Saïd as the annual home of the RHRN Global Youth Climate Summit, positioning it as a central, youth- and university-driven pillar of the wider RHRN Global Climate Alliance ecosystem. The summit will serve as a touchpoint for collaboration and capacity-building related to human rights-based climate action across campuses and communities around the world. “At Oxford Saïd, we believe education is the catalyst for lasting change,” said Josephine Fawkes, Director of Global Inclusion and Youth Education, Saïd Business School. “The Right Here, Right Now Global Youth Climate Summit convenes young leaders from across the globe, offering a growing platform where they can learn from one another, develop bold solutions, and turn inspiration into action. Their shared commitment and collective power will shape the future of our planet - and we are proud to help elevate their voices.” “Around the world, young people are rising - organizing, innovating, and refusing to accept a future defined by crisis. This summit is a powerful reminder that when institutions genuinely support young people through action, trust and access – they help turn potential into leadership. By aligning with youth voices, Oxford Saïd, UN Human Rights, and the RHRN Global Climate Alliance are creating the conditions for us to lead with purpose and build the future we all deserve,” says Aniba Khan, winner of Oxford Saïd Climate Change Challenge 2023 and an active participant of the RHRN Global Youth Climate Summit 2025. The theme for the 2026 RHRN Global Youth Climate Summit focuses on ensuring climate technologies for mitigation and adaptation are aligned with human rights obligations. It also focusses on developing the tools needed to ensure a just transition to sustainable economies and societies that uphold human rights. The Summit will explore the human rights risks and opportunities of current and emerging technologies like renewable energy systems, resilient infrastructure, data and early-warning tools, and AI in the context of climate action and identify strategies to ensure these risks are mitigated and human rights are upheld. The Summit will be hybrid, hosted physically at Oxford Saïd and livestreamed globally, enabling broad participation while limiting travel and associated environmental impacts. Young people from 12 regions will contribute through dialogues, case studies, and presentations on the intersection of climate change, human rights, and climate technology, highlighting scalable solutions that strengthen resilience and protect communities on the front lines. “This renewed commitment by Saïd Business School builds directly on the success of our inaugural Right Here, Right Now Global Youth Climate Summit last June, which engaged participants from 55 countries,” said David Clark, Founder of the Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Alliance. “Oxford Saïd’s leadership and steadfast support for youth-led climate justice have been invaluable, and I am deeply grateful for their partnership. Together with UN Human Rights, we are working to support youths in advancing transformative change for people and planet.” ABOUT Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Alliance Launched at COP26 with global partner UN Human Rights, the Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Alliance seeks to place human rights at the center of global climate decision-making. The Alliance brings together universities, youth, policymakers, scientists, technologists, cultural leaders, and media organizations to advance human rights-based climate solutions through summits, education, and global engagement programmes. UN Human Rights UN Human Rights represents the world’s commitment to protecting and promoting human rights for all. Climate change poses an urgent threat to rights including food, water, health, housing, culture, and life itself. The Office works to advance climate action that is grounded in human rights and support the central role of those most affected by climate change - including youth, Indigenous peoples, women, and marginalized communities - in global climate responses. Saïd Business School, University of Oxford Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford is a vibrant and innovative business school, embedded within a 900-year-old world leading university. It creates programmes and ideas that have global impact and reach, and educates educate leaders, change makers and innovators across every industry and sector. The School´s groundbreaking research and exceptional teaching transforms individuals, who transform businesses, which transforms the world. Saïd Business School´s focus is to create impact from within. University of Colorado Boulder The University of Colorado Boulder is Colorado’s leading public research university, transforming lives since 1876. Home to five Nobel Laureates and world-renowned atmospheric and geological sciences research, CU Boulder’s vision is to transform lives in service to a just and sustainable world. CU Boulder hosted the inaugural Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Summit with UN Human Rights in 2022 and is proud to support the upcoming RHRN Global Youth Summit through its Conference on World Affairs, Buckley Center for Sustainability Education and Center for African & African American Studies (The CAAAS | The Cause).
Joint Statement from United Nations Human Rights, the University of Oxford, the International Universities Climate Alliance, and the Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Alliance
Sheila Watt-Cloutier said she believes that educating people about the human impacts of climate change can bring the world together, even in times of political uncertainty and conflict.
