Angelina Jolie Pitt Begs For New Approach To The Global Refugee Situation
Angelina Jolie Pitt spoke at the United States State Department in Washington, D.C., this week, appearing in order to make a plea in regard to the global refugee crisis on World Refugee Day.
Solution for @Refugees “lies in finding common purpose and drawing strength from each other”: Angelina Jolie Pitt pic.twitter.com/HHaFiNZEqq
— UNHCR Washington (@UNHCRdc) June 21, 2016
Angelina serves as the Special Envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees, and the actress met with John Kerry, Secretary of State, ahead of her attendance at an interfaith Iftar (dinner) reception in Sterling, Virginia.
Kerry was sure to praise the notable actress, director, and human rights activist for her commitment to a crisis that has now hit an all-time high while globally 65 million have been forced from their homes and now live as refugees. Kerry thanked Jolie Pitt for her “personal leadership” and for her “commitment to the issue,” as People noted.
The 72-year-old goes on to remind that Angelina has not simply supported and been an advocate for the issue recently, but has been dedicated to the issue for years.
“This is not a passing fancy for her at all; it is a lifetime commitment.”
When Jolie Pitt spoke, she reminded listeners that the current crisis is a threat on a worldwide scale and that ignoring the very real issue would be “naive, irresponsible and dangerous.”
The publication relays the remainder of the Oscar-winner’s words, in which she makes a plea for leaders and governments to get on board to take action.
“If I ask people for anything on this day, it is to take a moment and to truly grasp what a refugee crisis of today’s magnitude means for peace and security of the world. I ask people to understand that with 65 million people displaced by conflict, we are facing a world of wars we cannot ignore or turn our backs on. We face a very clear choice: to continue as we are and see displacement and insecurity grow, or to come together with other nations and find a new approach, one that does not focus solely on aid and resettlement but on solution, stability and returns.”
The 41-year-old beauty then went on to remind that results come from action and that a plan of action comes from leadership.
“Strength lies in mastering and channeling our emotions so that we pursue policies that reduce – not inflame – threats to our security. We need leadership. We need solutions.”
Both Jolie Pitt and Kerry made note of the rising view against refugees, which is termed xenophobia. The comments were likely a bit of a dig at Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate who recently threatened to build a wall to keep the immigrant population out of the United States.
The publication quoted the Secretary of State as follows.
“We’re living in a contentious time when some try to make a negative out of being a refugee or somehow turn people who are refugees into threats. They are American; they’re as American as anybody; and they have a story to tell about how America keeps faith with people’s dreams and hopes and aspirations.”
Angelina Jolie Pitt has been an advocate and representative for the United Nations since 2001, and has since carried out over 50 missions for the organization.
#AngelinaJolie joins US Secretary of State @JohnKerry in Washington, DC for #WorldRefugeeDayhttps://t.co/gF3JWHfWwd pic.twitter.com/rINRBEcNIk
— ET Canada (@ETCanada) June 21, 2016
Although the topic about which the star has spoken is of extreme importance, and is what should be the focus of her appearance on World Refugee Day and beyond, it is hard not to take notice of the star’s poise and spot-on fashion sense as she stood at the podium alongside Kerry. As In Style indicated, Angelina owned the spotlight due to her radiant beauty and her choice of a peplum, charcoal power suit that made it known she meant business in regard to what she had to say.
[Photo by Milos Bicanski/Getty Images]
