Angelina Jolie, one of the most iconic Hollywood celebrities, has recently made a visit to Jordan along with her two daughters in an effort to reach out to Syrian refugees. The 42-year old actress has long been known to be a humanitarian advocate throughout her career. Jolie is closely tied with the efforts and projects of several United Nations programs.
Jolie and her daughters went to Zaatari Refugee Camp acting as a special envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The camp is located 10 kilometers east of Mafraq, one of the governorates of Jordan. The camp is also just near the border of Syria, which is why many refugees have settled down Zaatari.
Visiting Syrian refugee camps is by no means new to the American actress, as this visit is the actress' fifth time already. In fact, her daughter Zahara (13 years old) has already visited Syrian camps twice before their trip to Zaatari. Meanwhile, this would be the first time for the younger daughter Shiloh (11 years old).
Jolie also spoke to the media through a press conference in Zaatari. In her talk, Jolie said that her daughters were the ones who wanted to tag along, as reported by The Daily Mail. "My daughters Zahara and Shiloh asked to come with me today," the actress said. She was surrounded with Syrian children and adults alike in an open space close to the camp where the press conference was held.
"They've spent time today speaking and playing with children their own age who have been forced from their homes, whose family members have been killed or have disappeared, and who are struggling with trauma and illness," Jolie added.
The actress went on to call out the international community to correct the "senseless war," through political settlement between state actors, saying that humanitarian aid is not a long-term fix.
Nearly 5.5 million Syrians are displaced in Jordan, Lebanon, and other nearby countries, with over 78,000 living in Zaatari alone.
