She delighted students with her recent lecture on her work with the UN.
And after her fleeting trip to London, Angelina Jolie headed to the United Nations offices in Geneva on Wednesday for the annual lecture of the Sergio Vieira de Mello Foundation.
The Oscar winning actress, 41, looked enthralled as she listened in on the presentation with UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi before taking to the stage to deliver a speech of her own.
In good company: Angelina Jolie headed to the United Nations offices in Geneva on Wednesday for the annual lecture of the Sergio Vieira de Mello Foundation
Rousing the audience for her Viera de Mello memorial lecture, the mother-of-six explained: ‘We need to stand true to the ideals of the UN…we are the UN.’
For her speech, Angelina – who is a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) special envoy – looked sensational in a navy pencil dress with a square neckline.
Sérgio Vieira de Mello was a Brazilian United Nations diplomat who worked for the UN for more than 34 years before he was killed in the Canal Hotel Bombing in Iraq along with 20 other members of his staff in 2003.
Radiant: The Oscar winning actress, 41, looked enthralled as she listened in on the presentation before taking to the stage to deliver a speech of her own
Her speech resonated with the audience, with one attendee taking to Facebook to write: ‘This was beautiful and amazing.
‘It really made me feel hopeful knowing that there are people in some postions of power who truly care. [sic]’
Another added: ‘Angelina = the adress of peace and love in this world [sic].’
Speaking out: Rousing the audience, the mother-of-six explained: ‘We need to stand true to the ideals of the UN…we are the UN’
Angelina’s appearance came after she lectured at the Centre for Women, Peace and Security in London on Tuesday, beginning a new master’s course on the impact of war on women.
Despite her nerves, she embodied her new, visiting professor mantle perfectly, paring down her iconic Hollywood image in favour of a simple yet sophisticated longline coat.
Angelina told London’s Evening Standard: ‘I’m a little nervous, feeling butterflies. I hope I do well. This is very important to me.’
‘Proud’: Addressing the audience she said ‘There is no shortcut to peace and security… I am a proud American and I am an internationalist’
Blue-tiful! For her speech, Angelina – who is a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) special envoy – looked sensational in a navy pencil dress with a square neckline
The actress addressed a class of students taking the same-titled postgraduate course, Women, Peace and Security – and her speech went down well with the class, who described the presentation as ‘wonderful’.
The course helps scholars, practitioners, activists, policy-makers and students to develop strategies to promote justice, human rights and participation for women in conflict-affected situations around the world.
They conduct original research and teach with the aim of promoting gender equality and enhancing women’s economic, social and political participation and security.
Enthralled: Angelina looked transfixed as she watched the speech from the stage
Elegant: The mother-of-six was a vision of beauty as she waited for her turn to speak
As part of her fellowship, Angelina will also be able to conduct her own research in the field.
The activist spoke about her experience and what has motivated her work as United Nations Special Envoy.
Afterwards, students were full of praise for the actress, sharing pictures from inside her lecture and calling her presentation ‘wonderful’.
One starstruck attendee reassured the ‘nervous’ speaker by saying: ‘Ms. Jolie, you did wonderfully!’ while another simply said: ‘Incredible lecture by Angelina today’
Another post-graduate student added: ‘She’ll make an amazing visiting professor. So honored to hear her inaugural lecture at LSE on sexual violence, rape, working w/ refugees’
All-smiles: She looked in high spirits as she took to the stage
Ink again: She exposed the extensive inkings on her arm in her fitted navy dress
In her new role, Angelina is invited to attended public events and workshops in association with the course, ‘as her schedule allows’.
She co-founded the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative – aiming to end the stigma suffered by survivors of sexual violence, and children born of rape – five years ago.
Her work includes minimising the long term consequences this may have in communities as well as reconciliation and peacebuilding.
The school announced the presence of Angelina on their own social media account on Tuesday morning and word quickly spread across campus.
Sitting pretty: She was joined on the stage by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, Italian Filippo Grandi
