ABOUT HIGH NOTE


The High Note Global Initiative, founded by David Clark Cause in 2018 in official partnership with United Nations Human Rights, honors artists whose work advances human rights and human dignity at institutional scale. Launched with two founding pillars — High Note Music and Photography 4 Humanity — the Initiative recognizes the songs, photographs, and bodies of work shaping the global conversation on climate, economic justice, gender equality, LGBTQ+ rights, freedom of expression, and the rights of marginalized communities. In January 2027, the platform expands with the addition of High Note Human Rights Cinema in Boulder, Colorado — making Music, Photography, and Cinema the three pillars of a global, UN-aligned storytelling initiative. The inaugural High Note Global Legacy Prize for Music will be revealed on July 12, 2026 — UN International Day of Hope.


THE ORIGIN


In 2017, David Clark approached UN Human Rights with a vision: a global platform to spotlight artists who use their work to advance social justice. UN Human Rights signed on as the founding global partner, and the High Note Global Initiative launched the following year with two founding pillars — High Note Music and Photography 4 Humanity — establishing the first international recognition system for music and photography in service of human rights. Past laureates include Cyndi Lauper (2019), John Legend (2020), and Aryana Sayeed (2025) on the Music side, alongside seven Photography 4 Humanity recipients to date. In 2027, the Initiative expands with the launch of High Note Human Rights Cinema as its third pillar.

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ABOUT HIGH NOTE


The High Note Global Initiative, founded by David Clark Cause in 2018 in official partnership with United Nations Human Rights, honors artists whose work advances human rights and human dignity at institutional scale. Launched with two founding pillars — High Note Music and Photography 4 Humanity — the Initiative recognizes the songs, photographs, and bodies of work shaping the global conversation on climate, economic justice, gender equality, LGBTQ+ rights, freedom of expression, and the rights of marginalized communities. In January 2027, the platform expands with the addition of High Note Human Rights Cinema in Boulder, Colorado — making Music, Photography, and Cinema the three pillars of a global, UN-aligned storytelling initiative. The inaugural High Note Global Legacy Prize for Music will be revealed on July 12, 2026 — UN International Day of Hope.

THE ORIGIN


In 2017, David Clark approached UN Human Rights with a vision: a global platform to spotlight artists who use their work to advance social justice. UN Human Rights signed on as the founding global partner, and the High Note Global Initiative launched the following year with two founding pillars — High Note Music and Photography 4 Humanity — establishing the first international recognition system for music and photography in service of human rights. Past laureates include Cyndi Lauper (2019), John Legend (2020), and Aryana Sayeed (2025) on the Music side, alongside seven Photography 4 Humanity recipients to date. In 2027, the Initiative expands with the launch of High Note Human Rights Cinema as its third pillar.

MORE INFO

ABOUT HIGH NOTE


The High Note Global Initiative, founded by David Clark Cause in 2018 in official partnership with United Nations Human Rights, honors artists whose work advances human rights and human dignity at institutional scale. Launched with two founding pillars — High Note Music and Photography 4 Humanity — the Initiative recognizes the songs, photographs, and bodies of work shaping the global conversation on climate, economic justice, gender equality, LGBTQ+ rights, freedom of expression, and the rights of marginalized communities. In January 2027, the platform expands with the addition of High Note Human Rights Cinema in Boulder, Colorado — making Music, Photography, and Cinema the three pillars of a global, UN-aligned storytelling initiative. The inaugural High Note Global Legacy Prize for Music will be revealed on July 12, 2026 — UN International Day of Hope.

THE ORIGIN


In 2017, David Clark approached UN Human Rights with a vision: a global platform to spotlight artists who use their work to advance social justice. UN Human Rights signed on as the founding global partner, and the High Note Global Initiative launched the following year with two founding pillars — High Note Music and Photography 4 Humanity — establishing the first international recognition system for music and photography in service of human rights. Past laureates include Cyndi Lauper (2019), John Legend (2020), and Aryana Sayeed (2025) on the Music side, alongside seven Photography 4 Humanity recipients to date. In 2027, the Initiative expands with the launch of High Note Human Rights Cinema as its third pillar.

MORE INFO

HIGH NOTE GLOBAL PRIZE


The High Note Global Prize is the UN-aligned honor at the heart of the Initiative — backed by United Nations Human Rights and called "the first-ever Nobel Prize in Music" by the GRAMMYs / Recording Academy. It is awarded annually across all three pillars:


Music — The High Note Global Prize for Music honors musicians and works that advance human dignity, whether a single song that moves the world or a body of work that sustains the movement at scale. Past laureates include Cyndi Lauper (2019), John Legend (2020), and Aryana Sayeed (2025). The inaugural High Note Global Legacy Prize for Music — a posthumous honor recognizing a music icon whose contributions to human dignity continue to shape culture long after the music was made — will be revealed on July 12, 2026, UN International Day of Hope, and presented at High Note Human Rights Cinema in January 2027.


Photography — The High Note Global Prize for Photography is awarded each year through Photography 4 Humanity to images that bear witness with extraordinary clarity. Winning works are exhibited at United Nations Headquarters in New York each Human Rights Day.


Cinema — The High Note Global Prize in Cinema launches January 2027 at High Note Human Rights Cinema in Boulder, Colorado, awarded in three categories — Best Feature Film, Best Short Documentary, and Best Short Narrative Film — alongside ten Jury Prizes drawn from the foundational pillars of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

HIGH NOTE

GLOBAL PRIZE


The High Note Global Prize is the UN-aligned honor at the heart of the Initiative — backed by United Nations Human Rights and called "the first-ever Nobel Prize in Music" by the GRAMMYs / Recording Academy. It is awarded annually across all three pillars:


Music — The High Note Global Prize for Music honors musicians and works that advance human dignity, whether a single song that moves the world or a body of work that sustains the movement at scale. Past laureates include Cyndi Lauper (2019), John Legend (2020), and Aryana Sayeed (2025). The inaugural High Note Global Legacy Prize for Music — a posthumous honor recognizing a music icon whose contributions to human dignity continue to shape culture long after the music was made — will be revealed on July 12, 2026, UN International Day of Hope, and presented at High Note Human Rights Cinema in January 2027.


Photography — The High Note Global Prize for Photography is awarded each year through Photography 4 Humanity to images that bear witness with extraordinary clarity. Winning works are exhibited at United Nations Headquarters in New York each Human Rights Day.


Cinema — The High Note Global Prize in Cinema launches January 2027 at High Note Human Rights Cinema in Boulder, Colorado, awarded in three categories — Best Feature Film, Best Short Documentary, and Best Short Narrative Film — alongside ten Jury Prizes drawn from the foundational pillars of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

PARTNERS

The Global Partner of The High Note Global Initiative is UN Human Rights, which represent human rights issues for the 193 Member States of the United Nations, and thus have a unique mandate from the international community to promote and protect human rights for all, everywhere.
“We are proud to support The High Note Global Initiative and The High Note Global Prize in an effort to galvanize global awareness of the importance of human rights, and at the same time honor artists who passionately use their work to promote and protect the rights of others.”

- Laurent Sauveur, Chief External Outreach, UN Human Rights
PARTNERS

The Global Partner of The High Note Global Initiative is UN Human Rights, which represent human rights issues for the 193 Member States of the United Nations, and thus have a unique mandate from the international community to promote and protect human rights for all, everywhere.
“We are proud to support The High Note Global Initiative and The High Note Global Prize in an effort to galvanize global awareness of the importance of human rights, and at the same time honor artists who passionately use their work to promote and protect the rights of others.”

- Laurent Sauveur, Chief External Outreach, UN Human Rights
PARTNERS

The Global Partner of The High Note Global Initiative is UN Human Rights, which represent human rights issues for the 193 Member States of the United Nations, and thus have a unique mandate from the international community to promote and protect human rights for all, everywhere.
“We are proud to support The High Note Global Initiative and The High Note Global Prize in an effort to galvanize global awareness of the importance of human rights, and at the same time honor artists who passionately use their work to promote and protect the rights of others.”

- Laurent Sauveur, Chief External
Outreach, UN Human Rights

HIGH NOTE GLOBAL PRIZE RECIPIENTS

HIGH NOTE CAUSE FLASH

To amplify the mission of The High Note Global Initiative and spotlight the social justice focus of the High Note Global Prize Recipient, a celebrity-driven Cause Flash launches to promote the recipient and their cause globally. This sweeping social media campaign harnesses the collective “Social Media Voices” of influential individuals and organizations, whose targeted cause messages resonate across Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. In an instant, these messages reach hundreds of millions of followers worldwide, transforming a single event into a powerful wave of global awareness and engagement.
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HIGH NOTE 
CAUSE FLASH

To amplify the mission of The High Note Global Initiative and spotlight the social justice focus of the High Note Global Prize Recipient, a celebrity-driven Cause Flash launches to promote the recipient and their cause globally. This sweeping social media campaign harnesses the collective “Social Media Voices” of influential individuals and organizations, whose targeted cause messages resonate across Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. In an instant, these messages reach hundreds of millions of followers worldwide, transforming a single event into a powerful wave of global awareness and engagement.
MORE INFO
HIGH NOTE 
CAUSE FLASH

To amplify the mission of The High Note Global Initiative and spotlight the social justice focus of the High Note Global Prize Recipient, a celebrity-driven Cause Flash launches to promote the recipient and their cause globally. This sweeping social media campaign harnesses the collective “Social Media Voices” of influential individuals and organizations, whose targeted cause messages resonate across Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. In an instant, these messages reach hundreds of millions of followers worldwide, transforming a single event into a powerful wave of global awareness and engagement.
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PARTICIPANTS

CONTACT
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Copyright / David Clark Cause, Inc.