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For the past 15 years, BBC Radio 4’s Today program has invited celebrities and public figures from the worlds of art, business, and politics to play editor for a day — and getting the honor this year is Angelina Jolie. The actress and human rights activist is set to join broadcaster David Dimbleby and author Kamila Shamsie on December 28 to steer the flagship news and current affairs show for one day.
During the special holiday episode, the Hollywood star, who is known for her humanitarian work with the United Nations, intends to highlight issues of violence against women in conflict zones and the global refugee crisis, and invite a series of guests who are experts in their fields to explore solutions for the ongoing issues.
According to her spokeswoman, the mother of six “has already begun working with the Today program team, and is looking forward to engaging a broad and diverse range of voices in the program.” The 43-year-old will join the likes of Prince Harry, Carey Mulligan, and the late Stephen Hawking, who have all previously served as guest editors for the show.
Of course, it’s not the first time Jolie has shone a light on ongoing injustices in the world. In August, the award-winning actress and humanitarian penned a powerful essay published on CNN about the Syrian refugee crisis, following multiple trips to Jordan’s Zaatari Refugee Camp to meet with displaced Syrian children who have had to flee their country due to war. In the op-ed, Jolie describes the ongoing crisis as a “a major challenge for our generation” and the only solution, she argues, is education. More recently, the UNHCR Special Envoy carried out a three-day mission to Peru to assess the humanitarian needs of Venezuelan refugees.
Jolie also isn’t the only celebrity using her star status to advocate for refugee children. Cate Blanchett and Priyanka Chopra have both recently visited the Zaatari Refugee Camp, where they met with displaced Syrian families. Meanwhile George and Amal Clooney recently announced that the Clooney Foundation for Justice – a non-profit organization established by the pair – are helping to educate thousands of Syrian refugee children displaced in Lebanon through a US$2.25 million partnership with Unicef.
Now Read: Angelina Jolie Advocates For Syrian Refugees in a Powerful Op-Ed
