During a speech in Washington D.C. on Tuesday, Angelina Jolie told the esteemed crowd of the Council on Foreign Relations,

“It is a fact that the best way to heal children in conflict and their trauma is to focus their minds on their future. This population we’re talking about is the future of Iraq. So to reach them now, to help deal with their trauma and refocus their minds on a possible future should absolutely be one of our top priorities.”

The very pregnant Angelina Jolie further added,

“We need these kids … to rebuild their country, to stabilize their country and eventually lead their country.”

And she looks great as usual! =) Oh yeah, CFR = Council on Foreign Relations. The 32-year-old pregnant humanitarian took time out of her busy schedule to speak at the “”Iraq, Education, And Children Of Conflict” forum before the Council on Foreign Relations. Angelina Jolie joined the council last summer. Lisa Shields, vice president of communications at CFR, said,

“Angelina Jolie is accomplished in her field and has demonstrated serious interest in issues such as Darfur, international education and refugees. As such, her profile fits very well with other young professionals we’ve selected as the next generation of foreign policy leaders.”

Picture above is courtesy of The Washington Post from the 2008 Global Leadership Awards at the Kennedy Center held last Monday (April 7) in Washington D.C. Pictured left to right: Vital Voices Global Partnership Chair Melanne Verveer, our fave Angelina Jolie, Mariane Pearl, Vice Chair of Vital Voices Mary Yerrick and Vital Voices President Alyse Nelson Bloom. At the gala, the very pregnant actress presented Mariane Pearl with the Fern Holland Award. Angelina Jolie told the gala attendees,

“[Marianne is an example of] courage, hope and tolerance.”

If you don’t know who Mia Farrow is, you’re definitely not old yet. Hehe! Good for you! Mia Farrow is another actress, who, like Angelina Jolie is into charities, adoption, and humanitarian work. Nice huh?? Read the full report below.

Asking celebrities to testify before Congress is hardly unusual. Many Hollywood figures routinely go to various committees looking for funding for their pet projects or to promote myriad causes. But this time, it’s the politico who asked the celebrity to come over. Virginia Rep. Thelma Drake has a new idea to maintain congressional support for the war in Iraq, and that’s to call in Angelina Jolie. Drake, a Norfolk Republican, is pushing to get the pregnant actress to testify to the House Armed Services Committee. Drake wrote in a letter to Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo., the committee chairman,

“Sadly, Ms. Jolie’s positive perspective on the current security situation in Iraq has gone largely unnoticed by the mainstream press. Ms. Jolie’s experience as a U.N. goodwill ambassador has given her the opportunity to travel to Iraq, speak with our military leadership and gain a ground-view understanding of how our long-term strategic objectives in Iraq and the region are met.”

Continue reading HERE!

After visiting Iraq to boost the moral of the US troops and to see firsthand the humanitarian crisis that grips the wartorn nation, Angelina Jolie now writes all about it. The “Wanted” actress authored an opinion editor piece for the respected Washington Post, entitled “Staying to Help in Iraq.” As the title may suggest, Angelina Jolie believes the US should stay in Iraq for humanitarian purposes (no pull out of troops). Here’s an excerpt:

It seems to me that now is the moment to address the humanitarian side of this situation. Without the right support, we could miss an opportunity to do some of the good we always stated we intended to do.

FULL ARTICLE HERE! =)

I have always loved Angelina Jolie when she speaks of missions and advocacies in life. Some may love her for her beauty and/or talent, but me? It’s her passion to help people that drew me close to her. So, to some, this full transcript of Angelina Jolie’s interview with CNN may be boring. But I say, let’s get to know the gorgeous Beowulf star when she’s not being an actress! =) Here’s the exclusive interview with CNN’s Arwa Damon.

Damon: First of all thank you obviously for your time. What is your main aim in this visit — what are you trying to acomplish while you are out here?

Jolie: Well I came to the region about 6 months ago, I first went to Syria because I work with U.N.H.C.R. and there are 1.5 million refugees in Syria alone from Iraq and while I was there, I went inside and met with some internally displaced people. And this trip is to get a better picture of the internally displaced people and to discuss with the local government, with our government, with the NGOs and with local people, the situation and try to understand what is happening, because there are over 2 million internally displaced people and there doesn’t seem to be a real coherent plan to help them and there’s lots of good will and lot’s of discussion –but there seem to be a lot of uh — just a lot of talk at the moment and a lot of pieces need to be put together. So, trying to figure out what they are.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL TRANSCRIPT! =)

The award-winning gorgeous actress went to Iraq last February 7 to boost what she sees as lagging efforts to deal with the problems of 2 million “very very vulnerable” internally displaced people in the STILL war-torn country. Angelina Jolie told CNN’s Arwa Damon last Thursday in an exclusive interview,

“There doesn’t seem to be a real coherent plan to help them. There’s lots of goodwill. Lots of discussion, but there seems to be a lot of talk at the moment, and a lot of pieces that need to be put together. I’m trying to figure out what they are.”

Below are some pictures of Angelina Jolie meeting with the top U.S. commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki plus other Iraqi migration officials.

CLICK HERE FOR THE PICS!