USA/SIERRA LEONE: Angelina Jolie and Peter Gabriel co-host gala event in New York to support "Witness" human rights organization.

Record ID: 1526438

  • Title: USA/SIERRA LEONE: Angelina Jolie and Peter Gabriel co-host gala event in New York to support "Witness" human rights organization.
  • Date: 8th December 2005
  • Summary: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (FILE) (REUTERS) JOLIE AT AN EVENT WEARING A SILVER/GREY DRESS
  • Embargoed: 3rd January 2006 13:20
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations,Arts / Culture / Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA3IUO2OA7T8KYB64DITAZWHOTY
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: Academy-award winning actress and United Nations Goodwill Ambassador, Angelina Jolie took on her role as activist Monday (December 05) night in New York City.
    She co-hosted a benefit gala with legendary musician, Peter Gabriel, the cofounder of human rights organization "WITNESS".
    Gabriel explained the purpose of the event, "It's fund-raising and awareness for 'WITNESS' which is putting cameras and computers in the hands of human rights activists, so basically trying to add technology to human rights campaigning."
    The event was held at the "Supper Club" and special guests included Emmylou Harris, Nile Rodgers and CHIC and Tim Robbins.
    "WITNESS" was co-founded in 1992 by Peter Gabriel. Since its inception, the organization has partnered with groups in more than 60 countries, bringing often unseen images and untold stories to the attention of key decision makers, the media, and the general public.
    Monday's (December 05) event highlighted "WITNESS'" work in the West African country of Sierra Leone, where a devastating 11 year conflict came to an end in 2002. Jolie traveled with "WITNESS" Executive Director Gillian Caldwell to Sierra Leone in May 2005 and helped secure key commitments from the country's president to implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's (TRC) recommendations.
    Caldwell explained, "The focus of this event of course is to really highlight the work we're doing in Sierra Leone and and to send a clear message to the Sierra Leonine parliament and the Sierra Leonine president that the international community is watching and that it matters to us what happens there."
    Jolie's role as the United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for refugees has taken her to countries such as Pakistan and Cambodia. She said, "So there's a real, it's really I guess getting an understanding of the people, what they're able to absorb, what they can go through, what more they can go through and what they're asking for. And in Sierra Leone a lot of them are asking for, not that they're not asking for justice but they're really asking to just focus on the reconciliation first and foremost and the causes of the war."
    Jolie, daughter of actor Jon Voight, has said before that her work as U.N. Goodwill Ambassador has made her acting career seem dull.
    "It is a very strange reality to go from, recently I was in Pakistan and then to go from there to a film set where there's so much and there's so much of everything, and, but I suppose I just find the balance in now trying to find material that says something as well and then using the money I make to do good things."
    The event also attempted to promote awareness of the "WITNESS" website as a global meeting place for people interested in promoting human rights.
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