Actress and director Angelina Jolie (“The Eternals”) has announced she will step down as special envoy to UNHCR, the United Nations refugee agency, after 20 years. During that time, Jolie was involved in several campaigns in support of forcibly displaced people around the world.
In a joint statement with the UNHCR, Jolie said she wanted to address a broader range of humanitarian and human rights issues. “After 20 years of working in the United Nations system, I feel the time has come to work differently, directly involving refugees and local organizations and supporting their advocacy for solutions,” she said.
Jolie has also advocated for a solution to the global influx of refugees from war-torn countries like Syria and has criticized the executive order issued by former US President Donald Trump in 2017 restricting the entry of refugees into the US from Muslim-majority countries.
The actress said she will continue to advocate for refugees and forced displacement issues. “At a time when the world faces complex, multifaceted and interconnected crises, he plans to engage with a broader range of actors on a broader set of humanitarian issues, as well as work more directly with local organisations,” he says the UNHCR statement.
Jolie has worked with the UNHCR since 2001, first as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador and, since 2012, as a Special Envoy. She has completed around 60 field missions to meet with displaced people seeking refuge from forced exile. Her most recent trips for UNHCR were to Yemen and Burkina Faso.
“After a long and successful time with UNHCR, I appreciate your desire to change your engagement and support your decision. I know the refugee cause will remain close to your heart and I am sure you will bring the same passion and attention to a portfolio wider humanitarian. I look forward to our continued friendship,” said UN High Commissioner Fillipi Grandi.
In addition to humanitarian activism, Angelina Jolie is currently in post-production on “Without Blood”, her fifth film as a director, which still does not have a release date.
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Source: Terra
Jason Root is a writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth coverage of famous people in entertainment, sports, and politics. He has a passion for uncovering the stories behind the headlines and bringing readers an inside look at the lives of the famous. He has been writing for Gossipify for several years and has a degree in Journalism from UC Berkeley.
