Angelina Jolie, 39, and Brad Pitt, 50, led a summit about ending rape, titled: “End Sexual Violence in Conflict”, on Thurs., Jun. 12. Foreign Secretary, Mr. Hague, and Jolie led the third day of the summit. Jolie is a special envoy for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

At the event, the couple was accompanied by Human Rights lawyer, Amal Alamuddin, recent fiancé to George Clooney. Alamuddin has been a member of Doughty Street Chambers in London since 2010. Before Pitt took his seat, Baroness Warsi playfully said to one woman, “This is Team Hague”, from the row behind Pitt. Warsi jokingly assigned this group title to Jolie, Pitt and Alamuddin.

Jolie wore all black to the summit, following her white streak the first two days. Pitt was also dressed dapper and dark. The couple posed for photographers at the ExCeL exhibition centre in London’s Docklands, where the four day event was held. This summit was the largest of its kind to ever occur, bringing guests from over 100 different countries.

Jolie revealed that the government representatives from all over the world would listen to sexual violence accounts from victims of their own countries during this conference. She said that although they wouldn’t be “forced to act”, she believes that they will, “deeply want to and be moved and be committed.”

As Jolie and Mr. Hague spoke to the audience composed of international officials and delegates, Pitt watched from the front row. Alamuddin sat on the opposite side of the auditorium.

In her speech Jolie poignantly stated: ”We are here for the nine-year-old girl in Uganda, kidnapped and forced into sexual slavery. We are here for the man in Bosnia, years after rape, still stigmatised, unable to earn enough money to buy bread for his family. We are here for all the forgotten, hidden survivors who have been made to feel ashamed or been abandoned. And for the children of rape – we want the whole world to hear their stories and understand that this injustice cannot be tolerated, and that sorrow and compassion are not enough.”

Jolie announced that a new international protocol represented the, “beginning of the fight.” In addition, she told BBC that such a protocol means that governments in war zones would no longer be able to maintain the excuse that they do not know how to deal with these issues. Jolie announced that women all over the world are, “united in this fight together.”

For the past two years, Jolie and Hague have worked closely on the government initiative that combats sexual violence in war zones. Hague said that the UK will be able to offer an extra $10 million to aid victims of sexual violence in conflict.

Conservative politician, Hague, expressed that he views his unique collaboration with Jolie as a perfect example of how foreign policy should be dealt with in the future. According to Hague, the combined forces of such a prominent actress and politician can be “formidable”. Hague described working with Jolie stating, ”My admiration for her work has grown even greater over the last two years.She has the power to speak to the whole world, to raise awareness, change attitudes. Governments like the one I am a member of hold in their hands levers of decision-making and action.” He also added that he thinks she is an “inspiration.”

Jolie recently discussed the issue with CNN, “It is a myth that rape is an inevitable part of conflict. There’s nothing inevitable about it. It is a weapon of war aimed at civilians.” She continued, “It has nothing to do with sex, everything to do with power. We must send a message around the world that there is no disgrace in being a survivor of sexual violence — that the shame is on the aggressor.”

Jolie will also work with friend and fashion designer, Stella McCartney, along with War Child UK, in creating a new child-focused campaign entitled: “Draw Me to Safety.”

Photo: AP