Angelina Jolie Visits Refugee Camps

1. Anne of Carversville founding muse and UNHCR (United Nations Human Rights Council) Special Envoy Angelina Jolie recently visited internally displaced Iraqis living in an informal settlement and a formal camp at Khanke, near Dohuk. There, she heard dramatic stories of escape from the more than 20,000 Yazidis who fled Sinjar and surrounding areas last August.

As always, Jolie touches directly and empathetically the people in these endless refugee camps strung around the world. This was her fifth visit to Iran. There are 3.3 million displaced people in Iraq, says UNHCR, with 2,1 million people uprooted in 2014 alone. 

In Syria more than 3.8 million people have fled to neighboring countries like Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan, where 20% of the population is now Syrian refugees. Within Syrian borders another 7.6 million people have been displaced. 

In Iraq, the UNHCR says it’s received only 53 percent of the $337million it needs for the crisis. 

Angelina Jolie Most Admired Woman, With Malala Yousafzai Following

2. Jolie’s involvement with refugee camps for many years is part of the reason the celebrated mother of six, wife to Brad Pitt, actor and director, philanthropist and activist, and Smart Sensuality humanitarian without equal was named the most admired woman in the world. 

YouGov UK conducted the poll across 23 countries with over 25,000 people voting. 

Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper covered Malala Yousafzai’s second place position behind Angelina in the results. US First Lady Michelle Obama followed Malala.  

Angelina Jolie As Empathetic Director

Angelina Jolie, director of ‘Unbroken’ with war hero Louis Zamperini, who died before the film was released.3. Angelina Jolie ate little while directing ‘Unbroken’. Japanese actor Miravi explained to the Daily Mail that as Jolie directed the actors playing inmates and prisoners of war to lose weight in an effort to reflect the harsh conditions of life in captivity, she stopped eating, too.

Actor Jack O’Connell was Jolie’s leading man playing the story of Louis Zamperini, who spent two years in a prisoner of war camp. Jack told the Daily Mail:

‘I really respect her professionalism, her attitude towards the creation – she’s so determined and passionate. It was intense on set but with her motivation and attitude we were on the same page.’

The actor revealed that Jolie tried out all of his stunts, which included spending hours supporting the weight of a heavy wooden plank above his head.

‘She did test out all of my stunts before I had to do them. The plank – I’m not sure if that can be regarded as a stunt – but, in any case, she was under it before I turned up on set.

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