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CNN Live Today

Interview with Angelina Jolie

Aired June 18, 2002 - 14:43   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Some Hollywood stars are at the United Nations this hour. Goodwill ambassadors include some famous actors and singers who are putting their names and faces behind U.N. programs. CNN senior U.N. correspondent Richard Roth joins us now with more -- Richard.

RICHARD ROTH, SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Kyra. Among the 40-some odd goodwill ambassadors and messengers of peace is Angelina Jolie, actress and strong advocate for the U.N.'s high commission of refugees office.

Welcome to the United Nations. Can you tell us what it was like, mixing and mingling with all of these other goodwill ambassadors, such as Roger Moore, Peter Ustinov and Harry Belafonte?

ANGELINA JOLIE, U.N. GOODWILL AMBASSADOR: It's great. I was really nervous coming into this kind of thing. You don't know what kind of people to expect. And then you realize, these people are all the kind of people that want to spend their time helping others.

So, it's a really warm, kind group of people who are very funny and very outspoken. And everybody is very strong about what all of the different chapters of the U.N., and what they're standing for and what they're fighting for right now.

ROTH: What is the purpose of this meeting? What's the goal?

JOLIE: There are many goals. One is to reinforce all of the things that the United Nations stands for, and focus them and try to figure out ways we can work together on all of them. And then all of us have individual issues where we're working towards -- you know, to deal with the poverty, to deal with AIDS, to deal with women's issues, to deal with refugee issues, to deal with all of the different chapters of the U.N.

So we're all kind of coming together, realizing that we can all work together and try to pool forces and be united.

ROTH: Kofi Annan, the U.N. secretary general, said he thought the U.N.'s message was not getting out. He is relying on the goodwill ambassadors. What you think of that, when you heard his comments?

JOLIE: I think he is an amazing -- I think he's gotten it out for us. I think he doesn't give himself enough credit. I think he's done amazing things, so we all are listening. I think he speaks better than all of us.

ROTH: Why do you become involved in this? You told a story about...

JOLIE: I became involved because I became aware of it. And I think anybody that would travel or understand what's really happening in the world, and meet these people and see these situations, understand that a billion people live on less than one dollar a day. One-third of the world has no electricity, that there's so much poverty. How could you do nothing?

And I mean -- so I think it's just that I was fortunate to become aware of the situation, and now I'm learning every day more and more.

ROTH: Do you think other celebrities should do more to capitalize on their fame, and the money that they have that allows them time to perhaps go out to missions like you have, to Ecuador, Thailand, and elsewhere?

JOLIE: Yes, I would suggest for them to do it, because, at the end of the day, there's more for -- it's done for my soul and my spirit than I could ever hope to give back. It's really -- it feels very good to do because it teaches you a lot about life. And it reminds you of what to really value.

ROTH: OK, Angelina Jolie, the goodwill ambassador for the U.N.'s high commission for refugees -- one of 40-some so-called goodwill ambassadors here at the United Nations for a two-day conference.

Back to you.

PHILLIPS: And a beautiful one at that. All right, Richard Roth, thank you so much.

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