Angelina Jolie congratulates 2013 winner of UNHCR's Nansen Refugee Award
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- Published on Tuesday, 01 October 2013 09:30
- Written by UNHCR
Ahead of the presentation of the 2013 Nansen Refugee Award to Sister Angélique Namaika of the Democratic Republic of the Congo tonight in Geneva, UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie sent a message of congratulations to the Roman Catholic nun and praised her for her selfless work helping hundreds of female victims of violence, rape and other abuse. "I warmly congratulate Sister Angélique Namaika, this year's Nansen Refugee Award laureate, for her outstanding and truly inspiring work to support vulnerable displaced women and children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Nansen Refugee Award recognizes her extraordinary contribution and the manner in which she has positively impacted the lives of thousands of displaced people in the DRC. Sister Angélique's work can also help to draw attention to the devastating effects of rape and sexual violence and the need for justice and help for survivors. The culture of impunity for sexual violence in conflict must be challenged; for far too long it has been possible for rape to be used as a weapon of war and for perpetrators to go unpunished. We need global action to end war zone rape, and I call on governments around the world to make this an urgent priority."
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Angelina Jolie to receive humanitarian Oscar
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- Published on Friday, 06 September 2013 03:45
- Written by USA Today
Angelina Jolie is adding another Oscar to her collection. This time for her humanitarian work.The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will present Jolie with the honorary Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, according to a release sent out Thursday.Angela Lansbury, Steve Martin and Piero Tosi will also receive honorary governor awards. All four awards will be presented at the Academy's 5th annual Governors Awards on Nov. 16."The Governors Awards pay tribute to individuals who've made indelible contributions in their respective fields," said Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs in the statement. "We couldn't be more excited for this year's honorees."The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, which is an Oscar statuette, is given "to an individual in the motion picture industry whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry."Jolie, who won a best supporting actress award for 1999's Girl, Interrupted, was praised by the academy for "staking out a career in the nexus of entertainment and philanthropy" for being an "impassioned advocate for humanitarian causes, traveling widely to promote organizations and social justice efforts such as the Prevent sexual Violence Initiative."Jolie tweeted thanks Thursday, saying "I'm so proud to win an honorary Oscar this year with @TheAcademy, So much love & joy to u all, thank you! Congrats Martin, Lansbury, & Tosi."The honorary awards were voted on by the academy board of governors at a meeting on Tuesday night. But the announcements were delayed close to 48 hours as academy representatives tried to contact the recipients, many of whom were on vacation.The honorary governors awards have been granted since 2009. Oprah Winfrey received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 2011. 2012 governor awards recipients included filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker, legendary stuntman Hal Needham and DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg.
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Angelina Jolie Releases Statement in Defense of Syrian Children
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- Published on Saturday, 24 August 2013 09:57
- Written by Just Jared
Angelina Jolie has released a statement about the children of Syria and the horrific conditions they are subject to in order to raise awareness in the international community.“What is happening to the children of Syria is sickening,” the 38-year-old actress and UNHCR Special Envoy said in a statement (via E! News). “Thousands of innocent young boys and girls have lost their lives in horrific circumstances, including in recent attacks near Damascus. And now one million Syrian children are struggling to survive as refugees in heart-breaking conditions.”“Each one of these child refugees is an innocent victim of a senseless conflict. These vulnerable children need shelter, food and assistance. But above all, they need security,” Angelina added.Angelina then urged, “The international community must not look away from Syria, they must renew the search for peace with urgency and determination.” To find out more about Angelina‘s work and her cause, visit the UNHCR website.
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Angelina Jolie urges an end to rape in war
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- Published on Tuesday, 25 June 2013 06:51
- Written by CBS News
Actress Angelina Jolie made her debut before the U.N.'s most powerful body as a special envoy for refugees Monday and urged the world's nations to make the fight against rape in war a top priority.She told the Security Council that "hundreds of thousands — if not millions — of women, children and men have been raped in conflicts in our lifetimes."Jolie, a goodwill ambassador for the U.N. high commissioner for refugees, said the Security Council has witnessed 67 years of wars and conflict since it was established "but the world has yet to take up war-zone rape as a serious priority.""You set the bar," she told the council. "If the ... council sets rape and s e x ual violence in conflict as a priority it will become one, and progress will be made. If you do not, this horror will continue."British Foreign Secretary William Hague, who presided over the meeting, stressed that "in conflicts in nearly every corner of the globe, rape is used systematically and ruthlessly, in the almost certain knowledge that there will be no consequences for the perpetrators."Soon after Jolie spoke, the council adopted a legally-binding resolution demanding the complete and immediate cessation of all acts of sexual violence by all parties to armed conflict. It noted that s e x ual violence can constitute a crime against humanity and a contributing act to genocide, called for improved monitoring of sexual violence in conflict, and urged the U.N. and donors to assist survivors.Jolie, who has traveled extensively in her role as goodwill ambassador, recalled several of the survivors she had met — the mother of a five-year-old girl raped outside a police station in Goma in eastern Congo, and a Syrian woman she spoke to in Jordan last week who asked to hide her name and face "because she knew that if she spoke out about the crimes against her she would be attacked again, and possibly killed."Jolie pleaded with the Security Council — and all countries — to implement the resolution and not let the issue drop."Meet your commitments, debate this issue in your parliaments, mobilize people in your countries, and build it into all your foreign policy efforts," she urged. "Together, you can turn the tide of global opinion, shatter impunity and finally put an end to this abhorrence."Secretary-General Ban paid tribute to Jolie for being the voice of millions forced to flee their homes "and now for the many survivors of wartime rape whose bodies have been used as battlegrounds."
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Angelina Jolie: World Refugee Day Press Conference in Jordan
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- Published on Friday, 21 June 2013 04:32
- Written by Just Jared
Angelina Jolie sits in front of an audience at a press conference to mark World Refugee Day in Al-Zaatari Refugee Camp for Syrian refugees on Thursday (June 20) near Mafraq, Jordan.The 38-year-old actress and UNHCR Special Envoy was joined at the front table by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres and Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide.“I appeal to the world leaders – please, set aside your differences, unite to end the violence, and make diplomacy succeed,” Angelina said at the event (via the New York Daily News).Earlier in the week, Angelina met with some refugees and listened to their stories.
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