Famous Hollywood actor George Clooney has personally experienced the extent of love and appreciation the Armenians possess toward his wife, well-known human rights attorney Amal Ramzi Clooney, after she presented the interests of the Armenian side at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) hearing of the case of Perincek v. Switzerland.

“I was parking my car in Los Angeles, and everyone there were Armenians. All of a sudden, all of them came up to me and said they want to kiss my wife,” Clooney laughingly said at Tuesday’s launch—in New York City—of the 100 LIVES initiative—to demonstrate the impact of the Armenian Genocide and how many of the survivors and their families went on to lead successful lives making significant contributions to global culture, the arts, sports, science and business—, and the annual Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity as a means to empower modern-day saviors.

To note, George Clooney is a member of the Prize Committee, and he will be in Armenia’s capital city of Yerevan on April 24, 2016 to personally hand this award to its first recipient.

In 2008, a Swiss court had convicted Dogu Perincek for denying the Armenian Genocide. In December 2013, the ECHR had ruled in favor of Perincek’s lawsuit that was filed against Switzerland. Subsequently, the Government of Switzerland petitioned that the Dogu Perincek case be referred for a review by the ECHR Grand Chamber. Separately, Armenia had petitioned to the ECHR, and it now acts as a third party in this case, whose European Court of Human Rights Grand Chamber hearing was held on January 28. The decision will be announced in several months.

Dogu Perincek is chairman of the left-wing Patriotic—formerly Workers’—Party of Turkey. In addition, he heads the Turkish ultranationalist Talaat Pasha organization, which actively fights against the Armenian Genocide’s recognition in Europe.