Angelina Jolie: 'Everyone' must help Syrian refugees
Angelina Jolie Pitt, one of the world's best actresses and a humanitarian, is using her celebrity status for a good cause, and that is to urge everyone to help Syrian refugees. She is using her place, as a special envoy, at the United Nations' refugee agency to influence people to help the displaced war victims.
In her heartfelt and emotional op-Ed in The Times UK written with Arminka Helic, a former refugee and now a member of the House of Lords, she pleaded to help families that are fleeing the war first, over economic migrants.
"At no time in recent history has there been a greater need for leadership to deal with the consequences and causes of the global refugee crisis," the actress wrote in the piece last Monday.
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Jolie Pitt has spent some time with a Syrian refugee family earlier this year during a humanitarian trip. She said that the war in Syria has made a lot of people suffer. "Syrians are fleeing barrel bombs, chemical weapons, rape and massacres. Their country has become a killing field," the award-winning actress said.
The actress has worked with the UNHCR since early 2000s, and urged political leaders to take responsibility, even if it's not part of their nation's geography. Jolie Pitt said that it doesn't matter what culture, ethnicity, or religion a person believes in, but what is important is humanity's core values and rights.
The 40-year-old actress added that the "out of sight, out of mind" attitude is just unacceptable now, especially with what is happening in Syria. She asked other countries in the world, not just those in Europe, to take part in finally resolving the Syrian crisis. Jolie Pitt also encourages people not to stigmatize the refugees, especially those countries who have taken migrants in.
Finally, the actress also suggested that the United Nations Security Council should go and visit the region and come up with a long-term resolution to these conflicts.
