and a "rising tide of nationalism masquerading as patriotism".
The Hollywood
actress, speaking at the United Nations in Geneva, called for a renewed
commitment to the "imperfect" world body and to diplomacy to settle
conflicts.
"If
governments and leaders are not keeping that flame of internationalism alive
today, then we as citizens must," Jolie said in the annual Sergio Vieira
de Mello lecture honoring the veteran U.N. aid worker killed in a Baghdad
bombing in 2003.
"We see a
rising tide of nationalism, masquerading as patriotism, and the re-emergence of
policies encouraging fear and hatred of others," she warned.
Jolie did not
refer directly to U.S. President Donald Trump whose administration is reviewing
its funding of the United Nations and its participation in the U.N. Human
Rights Council.
"A lot of
the fear we observe today of refugees, of foreigners, is produced by ignorance,
often fuelling politicians as well," she said in response to a question.
"We have
to recognize the damage we do when we undermine the U.N. or use it selectively
-- or not at all -- or when we rely on aid to do the job of diplomacy, or give
the U.N. impossible tasks and then underfund it."
Not a single
humanitarian appeal to donor governments worldwide has received even half the
amount needed, she said. Operations in four countries where 20 million people
are on the brink of death from starvation -- Yemen, Somalia, South Sudan and
Nigeria -- are severely underfunded
Jolie, who
described herself as "a proud American" and "an
internationalist", has worked since 2001 for the U.N. High Commissioner
for Refugees (UNHCR), visiting uprooted civilians from Iraq to Cambodia and
Kenya.
*REUTERS*
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