UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie shares a laugh with Karenni refugee children in Ban Mai Nai Soi camp in northern Thailand during a one-day visit on Wednesday. © UNHCR/K.McKinsey

2009-06-16

Angelina Jolie releases new video to draw attention to plight of refugees around the world

Geneva-- UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie released a new video this week in the run-up to World Refugee Day, June 20.  The 30-second public service announcement, which can be viewed at www.unhcr.org/pages/49c3646c46d.html, was co-produced by Angelina Jolie and UNHCR and includes images and video from refugees and other victims of conflict around the world. It is expected to reach millions of viewers. In addition to television networks, the video is appearing on airport monitors; at Amsterdam’s Schiphol, for example, which sees about 130,000 travellers daily, it will be shown every three minutes. Washington's Dulles and Reagan terminals will display the video on 172 monitors. On the first night that the public service announcement was available on YouTube, it received more than 25,000 views.

Since becoming a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador in 2001, Jolie has travelled with the UN refugee agency to more than 20 countries to meet with refugees and field workers.   She has hosted public events with key decision-makers to raise awareness among both the international community and general public about refugee issues. This week, Jolie will be attending events in Washington DC with UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres to mark World Refugee Day.

In her new video, Jolie stresses that “Refugees are the most vulnerable people on earth. Every day they are fighting to survive. They deserve our respect.” Jolie calls on the public to “remember them on this day.”