Angelina Jolie Talks Syrian Refugees, Education, Violence Against Women & More With Brigitte Macron

Angelina Jolie and Brigitte Macron

Director, activist and busy mother Angelina Jolie was in Paris today to film a commercial on the Champs-Elysées for perfume house Guerlain. Jolie has been an ambassador for the brand since 2016. After a trip to the Louvre museum with her six children, Jolie also met with French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron at a visit to the presidential  Elysées Palace. 

Jolie and Mrs. Macron met for an hour, discussing education, violence against women and [Jolie]’s activities as UNHCR Special Envoy and her recent visit to Jordan. On Sunday, Angelina took Zahara and Shiloh to the Zataari refugee camp, located less than an hour's drive from the Syrian border and a temporary home to 78.000 people fleeing Syrian violence.  

On her fifth visit to Jordan, Jolie said:  "It is heartbreaking to return to Jordan and witness the levels of hardship and trauma among Syrian refugees as this war enters its eighth year." Almost 5.5 million displaced Syrians are hosted by Jordan, Lebanon and other neighboring countries as the long-running civil war shows no sign of abating. The UN refugee agency received only half the requested funding for the Syrian crisis last year, Jolie said.

Jolie was in Jordan in February 2017, and I can't help noticing her notepad. Taking notes in the refugee camps is a frequent Angelina gesture. Yes, it helps her document her experience, but I've always thought it's a sign of respect to the people, and especially the children, a way of showing that she is truly listening to them and that their voices will be heard. 

Angelina Jolie taking notes in a Syrian refugee camp in Jordan, February 2017.