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Here are some photos of Angelina Jolie in Geneva on Wednesday, where she gave a speech at the Sergio Vieira de Mello Foundation. Sérgio Vieira de Mello was a high-ranking United Nations Special Representative when he was killed )along with more than 20 other UN officials) in Iraq in 2003. I remember when that happened and the Bush Administration did little more than shrug. It was the beginning of the Iraq insurgency, really. His death still haunts many in the UN and those in the diplomatic corps around the world. Angelina chose to honor Sérgio Vieira de Mello with a speech that called out the rise of nationalism masked as patriotism. She chose to call out intolerance masquerading as security. And she did it all without mentioning Donald Trump’s name.
Angelina Jolie spoke out against “the rising tide of nationalism, masquerading as patriotism,” blasted “the absence of strong international leadership” and called for people to “keep the flame of internationalism alive,” even if their leaders are not, in order to help people in need around the world.
“As a citizen, I find myself looking out on a global environment that seems more troubling and uncertain than at any time in my lifetime. I imagine many of you may feel the same,” Jolie said. “We are grappling with a level of conflict and insecurity that seems to exceed our will and capabilities: with more refugees than ever before, and new wars erupting on top of existing conflicts, some already lasting decades.”
“We see a rising tide of nationalism, masquerading as patriotism, and the re-emergence of policies encouraging fear and hatred of others. We see some politicians elected partly on the basis of dismissing international institutions and agreements, as if our countries have not benefited from cooperation, but actually been harmed by it. We hear some leaders talking as if some of our proudest achievements are in fact our biggest liabilities—whether it is the tradition of successfully integrating refugees into our societies, or the institutions and treaties we have built rooted in law and human rights.”
Jolie, known for her recent work helping Syrian refugees, said she believes “anyone committed to human rights is an internationalist… If governments and leaders are not keeping that flame of internationalism alive today, then we as citizens must. We have to challenge the idea that the strongest leaders are those most willing to dismiss human rights on the grounds of national interest. The strongest leaders are those who are capable of pursuing both.”
Saying she was speaking as a “proud American” and “an internationalist,” Jolie said some politicians were elected “partly on the basis of dismissing international institutions and agreements….We have to recognize the damage we do when we undermine the U.N., or use it selectively, or not at all,” Jolie said. She said “there is not a single humanitarian appeal anywhere in the world that is funded by even by half of what is required.”
[From E! News and USA Today]
I’m including the video of her complete speech below. She made me cry, honestly. She really honors Sergio’s legacy properly, and she honors every diplomat, UN worker and internationalist. I love what she says about the rise of nationalism, the lopsided benefits of globalism and more. She’s awesome.
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Photos courtesy of Getty.
Source: celebitchy.com
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