United
Nations ambassador Angelina Jolie has used this
year's World Economic Forum to criticize celebrities
playing the aid card without necessarily arming
themselves with adequate information and long-term
strategies to make a sustained difference at tackling
the many issues being negotiated by world leaders.
"Celebrities have a responsibility to know absolutely
what they're talking about, and to be in it for
the long run," she told onlookers during a keynote
speech in Davos.
Since
early 2001, the renowned American actress has
travelled the world with UNHCR to help refugees
and raise awareness to the plights of those suffering
in Darfur. She has worked with field staff and
met with refugees in over 15 countries and reportedly
donates a third of her earnings from Hollywood
blockbusters such as Lara Croft Tomb Raider and
Sky Captain and the World Of Tomorrow to good
causes.
Speaking
in the Swiss ski resort of Davos, Jolie says becoming
an advocate for humanitarian issues has helped
redefine her role within the international community
and strengthened her resolve to use her public
profile to raise awareness in regions otherwise
ignored by mainstream media. "Just being an actress
doesn't help me sleep well at night. When I do
something for other people, then I feel my life
has value."
