Angelina Jolie Watch

Well it looks like we were wrong. Angelina wasn’t headed to Jordan but to Iraq. She touched down today in Iraq to highlight the plight of refugees. Angie’s trip included a visit with Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

Angie is concerned that there is no concrete plan for the nearly 2 million internal refugees. An internal refugee is one that has been displaced their own country or territory. Think Katrina victims who were forced to move after New Orleans flooded.

“There are over two million displaced people and there never seems to be a real coherent plan to help them,” she said. “There’s lots of goodwill and lots of discussion, but there seems to be just a lot of talk at the moment.”

“I don’t have the answers, but I know this is one thing that needs to be addressed and solved. (There needs) to be a real presence here to help count the people and register the people,” she added.

She’s is very concerned with refugee children.

“Of the two million internally displaced, it’s estimated 58 percent are under 12 years old. It’s a very high number of people in a very, very vulnerable situation and a lot of young kids.”

“So far, the different US officials I met with and different local people I’ve met with all have shared concerns, very, very strongly. They have spoken out about the humanitarian crisis, but there seems to be a block in.

“I don’t have the answers, but I know this is one thing that needs to be addressed and solved. (There needs) to be a real presence here to help count the people and register the people,” she added.

She believes refugee crisis will affect the entire Middle East.

“And a big part of what it’s going to affect,” she said, “is how these people are returned and settled into their homes and their community and brought back together and whether they can live together and what their communities look like.”

The UHCR hasn’t been able to aid refugees due to rampant violence outside of Iraq’s green zone. Angie even took the time to have an…institutional meal with the troops. She’s really taking bullet for the cause there.

Click HERE for video of Angelina eating with troops.

Click HERE for Angelina’s CNN interview.  

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Angelina has been named most liked celebrity humanitarian by a recent Reuters poll. That means people find her genuine and heartfelt. (Of course we didn’t need no stikin poll to tell us that but it’s nice anyway.)

According to Peter Walker, director of the Feinstein International Famine Center at Tufts University, people are impressed with how authentic she is. “People aren’t stupid,” he said. “They can really sense when it’s just an endorsement and when somebody really means it. Someone like Angelina Jolie comes across as having more integrity than some celebrities and a greater sense that she doesn’t just do this for the publicity.”

Polsters seemed particularly impressed with Angie’s work on behalf of international refugees. Since becoming a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador, she’s visited 20 crisis spots throughout the world. Most visited camps in Iraq.

“She does this in a very low-key way,” said UNHCR spokesman Peter Kessler. “She goes out to see for herself, to get up close and very personal. She doesn’t travel with film crews, and I think that is real testimony to her dedication to the cause.”

Other celebs didn’t show so well. Madonna landed near the bottom of the list One respondent said, “Madonna seems to do philanthropy the way she’s done Indian culture, sex, and just about everything . Hope she doesn’t get bored of her adopted African kid.”(Wow that’s harsh)
Other do-gooders that showed up in the poll included Bono, Mia Farrow, Don Cheadle Bill Gates and our very on Brad Pitt.

Congratulations Angie. You’re having a banner couple of weeks.

Angelina Jolie

Update on the UNHCR’s Darfur funding goal:

Dear Refugee Supporter,

Last month, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) issued an urgent funding appeal for its humanitarian operation in Darfur, Sudan. Without the proper support, the agency will be forced to scale back its life-saving relief efforts in the region. In response to the pressing need we set a goal to raise $20,000 by the end of October.

Thanks to your generous support, I am pleased to announce that we exceeded our target - $20, 129! With your help UNHCR can continue its mission to protect and aid the victims of the Darfur tragedy.

In an extremely difficult security environment, UNHCR provides protection and assistance to many of the more than 2 million people displaced by the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. This year alone an additional 250,000 people have been forced from their homes.

In Darfur, UNHCR offers life-saving aid to those fleeing the conflict, providing access to basic relief items as well as shelter, medical care and education. With your thoughtful contributions, UNHCR can also continue to provide clean, safe water to displaced families, ensure counseling and assistance for victims of sexual and gender-based violence, and give protection to women and children.

Thank you for responding to our urgent appeal. UNHCR couldn’t do its life-saving work in Darfur without you!

Sincerely,

J. Michael Coburn
Acting Executive Director

The UNHCR aids refugees “fleeing across the border from Darfur” who “arrive in a remote, desert region[in Chad] where resources, particularly water, are scarce. Since early 2004 UNHCR has mounted a major logistics operation to move the vast majority of these refugees to camps at a safer distance from the volatile border.”

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The IRC honored the UNHCR and it’s Goodwill Ambassadors with its 50th annual Freedom Award for their work on behalf of the world’s refugees. Angelina and the United Nations High Commissioner(Antonio Guterres) accepted the award for the UNHCR team. Angelina was unable to attend due to her shooting schedule but she did send a video message where she applauded the strong partnership between the UNHCR and the IRC.

Former Freedom Award recipients include include Winston Churchill (1958), former US presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton (200), Madeline Albright(1998) and Burmese Nobel laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi (1995).

In 2006, the IRC assisted more than 15 million conflict-affected people around the world. Here’s a look at some of their recent achievements.

• Gave over 3 million people access to clean water and sanitation.
• Trained more than 10,800 educators, and supported schools attended by 316,000 children, more than half of them girls.
• Their doctors,nurses and community health workers served more than 6 million people with primary and reproductive health care.
• Reached some 5 million people through our health education and HIV/AIDS prevention programs.
• Counseled and cared for nearly 140,000 survivors of sexual violence.
• Educated some 1,560,000 men,women and adolescents on the prevention of sexual violence.
• Reunited over 2,400 separated children and former child soldiers with their families and cared for another 9,300 young people.
• Resettled 5,000 newly arrived refugees and asylees and provided services to 18,000 other refugees in the United States.
• The IRC helped over 6,400 refugees settle into new homes, schools and communities in the United States.

Congratulations to Angie and the rest of the UNHCR team. Keep up the good work.

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We know that Angelina and the UNHCR work extremely hard for refugees but I didn’t know a lot about the organization’s history or just basic information for that matter. Because I’m on a research kick, I did a little bit of research about this humanitarian organization.

Check out these facts about the UNHCR:

• The UNHCR was established on December 14, 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly.
• The UNHCR stands for United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
• The group’s mission is to protect the well being and rights of refugees.
• The UNHCR offers assistance to refugees regardless of race, nationality or religious preference.
• The United Nations defines a refugee as “A person who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it..”
• The original mandate was a three year mission to help European refugees of World War 2.
• The organization relies completely on voluntary contributions from countries, corporations and individuals.
• The UNHCR seeks to repatriate refugees to their homeland if conditions warrant. If conditions are not subtable for repatriation, the UNHCR seeks to integrate or resettle refugees in other countries.
• António Guterres is the current High Commissioner. His term expires in 2009.
• Angelina is one of seven current Goodwill Ambassadors.
• Goowill Ambassadors use their celebrity to bring attention to the plight refugees.

“Refugees have done more for my heart and my spirit than I can ever express in words.” -Angelina Jolie

To donate to UNHCR go HERE. Every little bit helps.

Photo Notes: Angelina Jolie with the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs, Anand Sharma in New Delhi, November 2006.

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Today at the Clinton Global Initiative, in her role as co-chair of the Education Partnership for Children of Conflict, Angelina announced a program that will aid 1 million refugee children with education during and after conflicts.

“These are the children who most need a safe place to learn, a place to heal, a place to learn reconciliation, and a place to just be children. Some think we should only provide emergency relief to children in conflict … They say education is not life-saving. All of us here today would beg to differ.”

She feels education is the key to real change.

“Education can transform the lives of children in conflict, giving them the tools to create a better future for their families and their nations. This Partnership is putting words into action and demonstrating that even in the most difficult circumstances, every child can and should have a chance to learn.”

The Education Partnership for Children of Conflictt was founded by Jolie and [Gene]Sperling as part of a 2006 Clinton Global Initiative commitment. Housed at the Council on Foreign Relations, the Partnership helps fund new education projects for children in conflict, post-conflict, refugee and emergency situations. New projects developed through the Partnership will be announced annually at the Clinton Global Initiative.

Commitments from the Partnership include assisting 200,000 Iraqi refugee children and 300,000 children affected by the Darfur genocide.

Many more photos after the jump

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At some point this week, Angelina will have a sit down with Foreign Secretary David Miliband in New York City.

“He will meet Angelina Jolie in New York for talks,” a Miliband spokeswoman said while speaking on condition of anonymity in line with ministry policy.

Further details on the planned content of the discussion weren’t immediately available.

Rumor has it that Miliband is trying to modernize FO’s image in addition to softening England’s take on global democracy. He’s even hoping to have Angelina appear on a spiffy new FO website.

This is going to be very busy week for Angelina who’s currently staying home with the kids while Brad works. She’ll also spend some time helping raise funds for refugee education.

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Angelina Jolie is using her time in New York to join forces with the Clinton Global Initiative to help raise funds for refugee education.

UN High Commissioner for Refugee António Guterres and UNHCR’s Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie will join former US president Bill Clinton at the September 26-28 meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative in New York, issuing a call to raise $220 million for refugee education. The CGI aims to inspire commitments of help from its members.

The UNHCR programme is aimed at providing Education (Plus) – education beyond the existing schooling now offered by UNHCR – to nine million refugee children by 2010. Education (Plus) will provide resources to develop a child’s full potential, with an emphasis on girls’ participation and additional activities like life-skills training, sport programs, disease prevention and access to technology.

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I have been meaning to post this letter from the UNHCR that I received last week. I know we all love Angelina the star. Let’s remember Angelina the activist.

RE: Angelina Jolie visits Iraqi refugees

Dear Friend of Refugees:

UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie talks with a refugee child in Al Waleed camp, Iraq. UNHCR/M.Bernard

This week UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie concluded a visit to Iraq and Syria, where she heard tales of extraordinary resilience and courage from Iraqi refugees.

Wanting to learn first-hand about the plight of more than 4 million people uprooted by the violence in Iraq, Jolie visited a UNHCR registration center in Damascus, Syria on Monday and then spent hours hearing moving stories from refugees in their homes.

Nearly one-quarter of Iraqi refugees are victims of violence and torture. Tens of thousands are without jobs, and many young people are in danger of losing out on an education and a future.

Support the refugees fleeing the violence in Iraq.

The UN Refugee Agency estimates more than 4.2 million Iraqis have fled their homes – two million to neighboring countries and another 2.2 million displaced inside Iraq.

UNHCR is providing medical care and food assistance to refugee families. The agency is also striving to help Iraqi refugee children get back to school and supply school uniforms and financial help.

“I can’t imagine how I could manage to take care of my children in these circumstances,” Jolie said. You can help make a difference.

The actress met a man whose family fled Baghdad after the father narrowly escaped a kidnapping attempt. Now out of money, the family depends on the little cash brought in by their 17-year-old son, who irons clothes. Later, Jolie visited a young Iraqi man who had been tortured, set on fire and left for dead in Iraq. He has been helped by UNHCR since he came to Damascus.

Stressing this was a non-political visit, Jolie said she wanted to draw attention to the
humanitarian crisis and urged support for UNHCR and its partners.

Sincerely,

J. Michael Coburn
Acting Executive Director
USA for UNHCR

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While visiting refugee camps in Syria, Angelina took time to play with some of the displaced children. Reportedly she’s not either back in the United States or heading this way.

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Angelina has just wrapped up a visit to Iraq in her role as UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador. She took two days out of her busy schedule to bring attention to the humanitarian needs of Iraq and Syria.

The UNHCR announced the mission.

Yesterday in Damascus (Syria), Jolie visited a UNHCR registration center and spent hours talking to Iraqi refugees in their homes. Today, she crossed into Iraq to visit 1,200 refugees trapped in a makeshift camp at the border, unable to flee Iraq, and later watched scores of Iraqis crossing into Syria at a border checkpoint.

Angie traveled by commercial airliner with only bodyguard Mickey Brett(Big Mickey to us) accompanying her. She made a similar trip last year to embattled Darfur sans entourage.

Angelina said this about the trip.

My sole purpose in both countries is to highlight the plight of those uprooted by the war in Iraq.

She broke away from the UNHCR to visit troops from the United States and other countries. Lance Corporal Samuel Petersen, 22, of the US Marine Corps was lucky enough to get a picture with Jolie. His proud mama sent this photo to OK! Magazine.

The kids stayed home with Pappa Pitt and Jolie’s long time assistant, Holly. It’s not immediately clear when she’ll be returning to the United States. For security reasons her travel plans have been hush hush.

In times of war we often forget the innocent people that are displaced because of fighting. Thanks to Angelina and the UNHCR for reminding us. Let’s keep the refugees in our thoughts.

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Ouch! Angelina was mentioned in Pelda’s diary who is on a three week journey traveling the Darfur Region and more.

During his three weeks traveling in the region, Pelda kept a diary. By virtue of the author’s firsthand observations and his numerous conversations with local Sudanese and Chadians, foreign aid workers and Darfur rebels, Pelda’s diary provides a portrait of the Darfur conflict that is perhaps unrivaled in its detail and nuance. Over the next few weeks, publishing one diary entry each weekday, World Politics Review will present this important document for the first time in English, with an epilogue penned by Pelda exclusively for WPR.

Angie was mentioned in Day Two.

In the meanwhile, I have inquired about flights to the East. The U.N. has two small planes with which it transports personnel between N’Djamena and Abéché, as well as between Abéché and certain localities in the border region with Darfur. Unfortunately, I cannot get a seat, since the next flight is already completely booked. Among others, it will be carrying Angelina Jolie plus her full entourage. Jolie is acting as a “Goodwill Ambassador” for the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) and she wants to have a look around the camps in the East. Less generous souls in N’Djamena say that Jolie is only doing the trip because Mia Farrow was recently in Chad as “Goodwill Ambassador” for UNICEF. Just what a “Goodwill Ambassador” is — and what purpose the whole media circus around them is supposed to serve — is not entirely clear to me. Is it only possible to draw the attention of the global public to a tragedy, to mass murder such as is occurring in Darfur, when Hollywood stars are flown in for quick visits to refugee camps and then shed tears at a press conference afterwards? I have trouble believing it. But when I ask a high-ranking U.N. official, he merely replies, “That’s the way the world is. You have to be realistic.”

You can read the full diary here

Angelina Jolie recently revealed to News Of The World that while travelign to under-privileged countries as a UN Ambassador that she narrowly escaped being kidnapped. “It was in a small village. I won’t say where, or with whom, but some gangsters planned to kidnap me and extort a massive ransom. I was warned at the last minute, and managed to escape, luckily.” says Angie. “I love Brad very much and on our trips we pull together as a team. Things only get difficult when it affects our children.” she added.

Angelina has returned to Africa, for the third time, on behalf of the UN. Angelina won’t be able to actually go to Darfur itself, though she’s there to monitor the area, due to the violent, unstable conditions. According to People, she arrived on Sunday at N’Djamena Chad and is scheduled to visit refugee camps about two miles from the border of Sudan.

She will be staying there for a few days to continue to raise awareness about the continuing crisis, and also see the current conditions – which have deteriorated since her last trip in 2004.

Neilson says the nomination (submitted by a sitting member of the council) was approved, but the board will still need to give its final approval in June. Said Neilson: “Few people are more committed than she is to these issues.”

The prestigious Council on Foreign Relations has admitted our very own champion of human rights, Angelina Jolie, to its exclusive Manhattan-based foreign-policy group ranks.

Friday, the council’s membership accepted Jolie’s nomination - and Jolie now joins other club members Dick Cheney, Condoleezza Rice, Henry Kissinger, Colin Powell and Alan Greenspan to name a few. The Post reports the group requires “no academic credentials but looks for members who take part in world affairs.” “Bring her on,” said Dr. Gordon Adams, an international-affairs professor. “The idea of having Henry Kissinger and Angelina Jolie in the same organization is dazzling.”

The Post reports member Carol Adelman, former head of U.S. foreign-aid programs, saying, “It’s not like Paris Hilton is being nominated.”