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Angelina Jolie Supports Ukraine Amid War

Angelina Jolie Supports UkraineAmerican award-winning actress, Angelina Jolie, supports Ukraine. Since Tomb Raider’s filming in 2001, Jolie has traveled worldwide, assisting refugees and raising money to fight global poverty. The Jolie-Pitt Foundation, which focuses on fighting against extreme poverty in rural areas, was founded as a means of helping humanitarian efforts by raising millions of dollars in support. It provides aid in nearly 60 countries to people who are struggling with violence, conflict, natural disasters and many other health-related issues on a daily basis.

Russo-Ukrainian War Overtime

In 1991, Ukraine declared its independence from Russia, right after the fall of the Soviet Union. From then on Russia and Ukraine have been head to head in multiple disputes over several different issues regarding keeping ties with Russia and joining NATO.

In 2014, the Ukrainian region of Crimea was annexed by Russian forces. This launched a series of brutal retaliations that eventually led to the split between pro-Russian separatists and the Ukrainian army. The Ukrainian government reported the killings of around 15,000 people since 2014, according to Reuters.

On Feb. 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. In only three days after the invasion, Ukraine reported 352 deaths and 1,684 injuries among its people. From then on the Russo-Ukrainian war has continued to be an ongoing battle between Russia and Ukraine.

Jolie’s Surprise Visit to Ukraine

With over 7 million refugees fleeing Ukraine in hopes of escaping the turmoil of the war as of September 2022, Hollywood actress Jolie supports Ukraine by urging many to take the matter seriously.

In April 2022, Jolie traveled to Lviv, the largest city in western Ukraine, of her own will. Ukrainian woman Maya Pidhoretska spotted Jolie at a local coffee shop, stating “people just couldn’t believe that it was her,” The Washington Post reports. The actress wanted to personally observe what the refugees and the Ukrainian people are facing from the ongoing war, which positively surprised many local people as well as the refugees arriving in Lviv.

While there, she took the time to speak with people as a way of providing both support and comfort from an outside source. Jolie dedicated her time to talk to students at boarding schools and medical facilities.

Angelina Jolie Urges Support for All

Before her visit to Ukraine, Jolie made a stop in Yemen’s capital, Aden. She hoped to aid refugees as well as to draw attention to the vast need for support in Yemen. Jolie has been advocating for Yemeni refugees for many years. Due to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Yemen and other countries have lost substantial imports of wheat and other food supplies. Both Russia and Ukraine are among the world’s top breadbasket distributors.

Through an Instagram post, Jolie called for “an immediate end to the conflict and humanitarian crisis,” Global Citizen reports. Angelina Jolie supports Ukraine by recognizing the impact people can make on other countries suffering from the current war.

Although the Russo-Ukrainian war has been ongoing for many years, significant progress has been made. Notable figures such as Jolie have raised more awareness and support for Ukraine and other countries in conflict. As Jolie stated in a Global Citizen report, “Everyone deserves the same compassion…we cannot be selective about who deserves support.”

– Madison Stivala
Photo: Flickr

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Beyond the Beauty, Angelina Jolie

angelina jolie
Often hailed as the most beautiful woman alive, the recipient of two Oscars and three Golden Globe awards, and appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR (The United Nations Refuge Agency), Angelina Jolie has proved that her legendary beauty radiates from the inside out.

The advent of Jolie’s personal involvement with humanitarian work occurred after encountering poverty first-hand while filming on location in Cambodia for Lara Croft, Tomb Raider. The actress, heavily-moved by the depravity she had witnessed, turned to the UNHCR in order to help resolve or mediate conditions for refugees worldwide.

Since her initial encounter with poverty in 2001, Jolie has attended international missions to turbulent countries such as Tanzania, Cambodia, Syria, and Iraq. While on mission trips, rather than arranging for lavish living conditions, the actress endures the same living conditions as the other members of UNHCR. Overall, the actress has joined humanitarian forces in more than 20 countries.

In addition to attending field missions, Jolie has also given significant donations towards international relief efforts. For instance, during her first pregnancy, Jolie struck a deal with People Magazine in which the publication was given permission to print the first pictures of her pregnant figure on the condition that a $500,000 donation be given to the Yele Haiti Foundation established by musician Wyclef Jean.

Furthermore, the actress has also established her own foundation, the Jolie-Pitt Foundation, to eliminate global poverty and improve living conditions for those affected by poverty. To kick-start her foundation, Jolie donated $1 million to the Doctors without Borders organization in 2006. Additionally, according to tax records from that same year, Jolie and her husband bestowed $8 million dollars to charities.

Jolie’s humanitarian efforts have not gone unnoticed. The actress was awarded the Global Humanitarian Award by the United Nations in 2005, and was bequeathed with the John Hersholt Humanitarian Award by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences at the Governors Awards in 2013. Known for her beauty, her acting talent, and her benevolence, Angelina Jolie has truly used her distinguished success for the betterment of the global community.

– Phoebe Pradhan

Sources: UNHCR, Ace Showbiz, Look to the Stars
Photo: Giphy.com