Angelina Jolie pleas in Washington, D.C. for World Refugee Day

Angelina Jolie at Washington, D.C. for World Refugee Day

Angelina Jolie was speaking out today at an event held at the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington D.C. Jolie is pleading for the world and the American society to look at refugee's not as burdens but as gifts.

The powerful speech made by Angelina Jolie in Washington launched many activities surrounding World Refugee Day. While Angelina Jolie gave her speech live feeds took place and multiple screens around the room. The live feeds were of UNHCR's staff members speaking with refugees at the Djabal refugee camp in eastern Chad.

There was also video of Angelina Jolie, who is the Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR, meeting and talking with refugee's all of the world.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres also spoke at the World Refugee Day event alongside Angelina Jolie. He spoke of the difficulties and dangers that are facing the worlds 42 million plus refugee population. People who have been uprooted and displaced due to war, politics, militias and more. He spoke also of the struggles that UNHCR has experienced and how it is becoming more and more dangerous for humanitarian agencies to get people across borders and how the humanitarians trying to help innocent civilians are becoming a target.

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton was scheduled to speak at the World Refugee Event but had to cancel because of a fractured elbow which she injured in a fall.

The theme of World Refugee Day this year is "Real People, Real Needs" and many activities will be taking place. On Saturday a website, www.refugeedaylive.org, will lauch and feature live streams of refugees in camps in Africa, Iraq, Pakistan and also in Colombia. A concert will be held at the Kennedy Center featuring Congolese vocalist and bandleader Samba Mapangala, a filmfestival will take place in Japan and a football match between refugees will take place in Australia.

Angelina Jolie ended her speech at Washington D.C. with tears in her eyes. Her words were touching and memorable, ""The refugees I have met and spent time with have profoundly changed my life...Today...I want to thank them for letting me into their lives."