Angelina Jolie Watch

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

Paramount has snagged Angelina for a thriller based on the life and times of Kathi Lynn Austin. Austin is an arms trafficking and terrorism expert that most recently worked for the United Nations Security Council. During her time with the UN, she undertook projects in Africa, Europe, Southeast Asia and Central America.

Angie’s longtime manager, Geyer Kosinski, said Angelina has long been interested in a reality based vehicle with franchise potential.  Think the Bourne trilogy.

The drama will also focus on a fictional character inspired by real life arms dealer Victor Bout. Bout is a former KGB agent who illegally trafficked arms throughout the word. Based on the few details we have, Angelina’s character would likely hunt down the Bout-based character.

Don’t expect this project to go into production as quickly as some of her other movies. The Writer’s Guild is still on strike.  They went back to the table today but it’s not looking good.

Source

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angelina jolie, kathi lynn austin, victor bout, un, united nations, kgb, un security council

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.”

Unhcr, United Nations, Darfur

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.

angelina jolie, refugees, unhcr, united nations

Nearly sixty years ago the United Nations created the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I try and look at this every once in a while to remind myself what Angelina, and perhaps in some small way this blog, is working so hard to educate people about.

I take a great deal for granted. If you are reading this, you probably do this same. Reading this declaration helps you remember that Angelina is not just a beautiful Hollywood star but a woman that seeks justice in the world. One of her tatoos reads, “Know your rights” and is a direct response to this document.

Document after the jump.

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I nearly missed a very important call to action for the international community. Luckily I came home to an email from One.org about the Global Day of Action Against Poverty-that’s today. The UN calls it the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty(thanks to Kyla for the reminder), slightly different name same goal. Although the day is over or nearly over for US Citizens, I doubt it’s too late to make Angelina and Brad proud by doing our bit.

Today, by making thousands of phone calls to Congress asking them to cosponsor the Jubilee Act, we can make the difference between passage and failure for this crucial piece of legislation.

The Jubilee Act cancels impoverished country debt, removes economic conditionalities from the cancellation process, mandates transparency and accountability from governments and international financial institutions, and moves forward with more responsible lending practices.

*Currently, for every dollar African countries receive in aid, they spend $2.30 to pay down debt.
* Debt cancellation is one of the most effective ways to help those living in extreme poverty. For example, when Tanzania received debt relief, the government spent the savings on education and eliminated school fees. Almost overnight, an estimated 1.6 million children enrolled in school.

Little religious history lesson here. The act is based on the Jubilee Year which is mandated by Leviticus 25:8-55. In the Jubilee Year, slaves and prisoners are freed and debts forgiven. The mercy of God is said to be particularly high during the Jubilee Year.

Here’s how you can help:

You can make a call in just one minute by:

1. Looking over this set of talking points

2. Calling 1-800-786-2663

3. Going here to register your call—this helps us keep track of which offices need to receive more calls.

The Jubilee Act calls for debt relief for some of the world’s poorest nations. Experience proves that debt relief for countries committed to investing in their people’s future is one of the most effective ways to fight extreme poverty. And it’s easy to see why.

Leviticus 25:8-13

8 ” ‘Count off seven sabbaths of years—seven times seven years—so that the seven sabbaths of years amount to a period of forty-nine years.

9 Then have the trumpet sounded everywhere on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement sound the trumpet throughout your land.

10 Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each one of you is to return to his family property and each to his own clan.

11 The fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; do not sow and do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the untended vines.

12 For it is a jubilee and is to be holy for you; eat only what is taken directly from the fields.

13 ” ‘In this Year of Jubilee everyone is to return to his own property.

angelina jolie, jubilee act, year of jubilee, jubilee year, united nations, un, one.org, leviticus, bible, Christianity, judaism

I’ve been meaning to post this but those Jolie-Pitts can make one’s life so very busy. It’s really hard to keep pace with them.
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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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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.”

This is the final installment of the video’s originally aired on MTV showing Angelina Jolie in Sauri, Kenya with Jeffrey Sachs. These videos show what changes Angelina’s work has helped to make as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

Last week I posted the first installment of the videos I found of Angelina Jolie’s coverage of her visits with refugees in Suari. These clips are from her travels with Jeffrey Sachs Millenium Project, originally airing on MTV. This is the second clip.

This is the first time I’ve come across this video. It contains footage from her trips as UN High Commissioner for Refugees. And if you are interested in learning more of Angelina’s visits with refugees, I really recommend picking up her book, Notes from My Travels: Visits with Refugees in Africa, Cambodia, Pakistan, and Ecuador
by Angelina Jolie, Caspian Tredwell-Owen

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are teaming up with Jeffrey Sachs and and donated “millions of dollars” to his anti-poverty organization UN Millennium Project in an effort to build the economic status in Maddox’s home country, Cambodia.

Brangelina visited Cambodia in November to try and expand Angelina’s Maddox Jolie-Pitt (MJP) project that she started over 4 years ago.

Sach’s organization, UN Millennium Project will be working to help Camborians with rice planting, and distribution of basic needed items… food, shelter and medications.

Brad also said, “It was incredibly moving to visit my son’s country.” This was Brad’s first visit to Cambodia.

Angelina with Tham Hin Refugees

As part of her work as a UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Angelina spent Christmas day in Costa Rica with (mostly) Colombian refugee children and their families.

After arriving in San Jose, Jolie made the following statement, “The conflict in Colombia is the greatest humanitarian tragedy in the Western Hemisphere, but it receives very little international attention, my Christmas message to Colombian refugees and to the millions of displaced people in Colombia is that the world has not totally forgotten them.”

Approximately three million Colombians have been forced from out of their homes and towns during more than two decades of conflict, however a large portion remain in Colombia. In addition, approximately 500,000 have fled to other countries in the surrounding areas. According to the UNHCR, the misplaced Colombian refugees make up the largest single population of concern anywhere in the world.

UNHCR said this is Angelina’s second trip to the region.