Global Compact International Yearbook 2016

“
For over a decade
I have been visiting
refugee camps and
orphanages and other
places working with
the United Nations
and the UNHCR.
”
dirty” per se. But for Jolie, an important part of her work has
always been to get out into the world and see the heartache
and poverty for herself – to comfort the mother who lost a
child in conflict and hear firsthand the plight of a teenage
soldier forced into combat from a young age.
Since 2001 she has gone on more than 40 field missions in over
30 countries, from Pakistan to Sierra Leone. She has always
covered her own costs and stayed in the basic accommodations
provided for fellow aid workers – a far cry from the
glamorous world of Hollywood. This altruism shines a light
on those celebrities for whom column inches are everything.
“There are many times when there are no media present, and
many times in the past when I was working on the ground
there was no immediate attention,” Jolie says. “For over a
decade I have been visiting refugee camps and orphanages
and other places working with the United Nations and the
UNHCR. So I know what I’ve been able to contribute personally
and in terms of creating greater public awareness of the
issues at stake and the actual conditions of the people and
children in various regions.”
Naturally, the presence of such a high-profile personality can
cause a furor that negates the good work they are trying to
do. But the 41-year-old star is acutely aware of this dilemma.
“There is a fine line to walk, but I’m very conscious of that line.
Everywhere I go I try to balance the needs of field officers who
are doing the real work and also serving the general interest
of creating awareness, which can influence political decisions
and public support, which are vital,” Jolie says. “I believe that
after all this time, though, the public knows how serious and
committed I am to the work I’m doing in these regions.”
Though her mission has very much been global, Cambodia
in particular has maintained a strong place in Jolie’s heart.
In 2002, while married to actor Billy Bob Thornton, Jolie
adopted her first child, seven-month-old Maddox Chivan, from
an orphanage in Battambang, Cambodia. She later bought a
property in the province in an attempt to maintain her son’s
connection to his heritage. Unfortunately, the land was adjacent
to Samlout National Park in the Cardamom Mountains and
plagued by poachers who threatened the endangered species
there. Jolie’s response was to buy the entire park and turn
it into a wildlife reserve – named the Maddox Jolie Project.
Along with three biological children, Jolie adopted her daughter
Zahara from Ethiopia and son Pax Thien from Ho Chi Minh
City in Vietnam. The path was by no means an easy one,
though, as in each case, controversy surrounded the adoption
process. In the case of Maddox, it was purely bureaucratic
due to the United States temporarily banning adoptions from
Cambodia amidst child trafficking allegations, but the ”trend”
of celebrities adopting children from developing countries
often raises the debate on how ethical the process is, with
mothers coming forward afterwards – as was the case with
Zahara, saying it was not her decision to put the child up for
adoption in the first place.
Regardless, one look at Jolie and husband Brad Pitt with their
enormous and diverse brood proves it is possible to break down
the conventions of traditional family and raise children who
are happy, stable, and, above all, deeply loved.
“When it comes to my children, I can see how important it is to
be there for them and teach them things and to be with Brad and
create this sense of a family unit,” Jolie says. “It’s also fascinating
how the children react to Brad and I differently, and how
each of us has a different connection to each of our children.”
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Global Compact International Yearbook 2016